MAMAPA project: CartONG extends its volunteer mapping activities in Germany, including support for integration of migrants

On February 28^th, the second Mapathon organized within the framework of the CartONG-sponsored project “Mannheimer Mapathons” (MAMAPA) took place at the Mannheimer Abendakademie.

The project has 2 specific goals: to support the integration of immigrants  - resident in the Rhein-Neckar region of Germany; and to contribute to international humanitarian initiatives. By organizing close cooperation between immigrants and residents during  locally-organized mapathons, both of these ends can be simultaneously achieved. By taking part in mapathons, migrants have the opportunity to:

• - acquire basic knowledge of, and initial skills in, the fields of geography and modern cartography.
• - augment on-going efforts toward integration in German society through contact with native mapathon participants and the accompanying language practice
• - make a concrete humanitarian contribution. In particular, the target areas selected for mapping are - whenever possible - chosen so that the nature of their contribution may be directly appreciated by the aid community and the beneficiaries.

17 migrants - working in tandem with local residents - took part in this second mapathon. They first listened to a direct (Skype-communicated) appeal from Uganda for mapping support in refugee arrival zones. The mapathon participants then worked on a HOT Task covering the same area. The mapathon received critical support through the participation of several members of the University of Heidelberg-based “Disastermappers” collective. The local press came to observe and the article posted here (in German) is the result of their visit.

The Project Manager, Robert Danziger, developed this initiative during the past half year. He is a member of the Board of CartONG. The project is unique in the way that it has specifically supported and implemented efforts for integration of migrants with the humanitarian aid provided through mapathon activity. Among the local project supporters are the Abendakademie, the Goethe-Institut, the Internationaler Bund and the Integration Offices of the cities of Mannheim and Ludwigshafen. A third mapathon is planned for April 2018.

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Please visit the project website (available in German & English) at: https/mamapa.org.

Photo credit: Christopher Bluethner, published online here.