500 "Upstairs" buses in Wiesbaden

On September 22, it was that time of year again: The state capital of Wiesbaden invited all children and their families to the big “World Children’s Day Festival.” Schlossplatz was transformed into a colorful venue featuring a bounce house, face painting, and many other activities. EVIM Youth Services was there again this year with the “real” upstairs bus for visitors to explore up close and with a personalized copy to take home. The creative activities were enthusiastically received by visitors of all ages.

The traditional World Children’s Day Festival offers a valuable opportunity to focus on the future and the importance of children’s rights. Children’s right to housing and their right to privacy fit perfectly into the concept of the EVIM project “upstairs,” which is funded entirely by donations and helps young people in need without red tape, creating safe spaces for them. The “upstairs” booth was a huge hit, said Patrick Lahr, regional director of EVIM Youth Services. There, staff members had brought along around 500 craft sheets featuring the “upstairs” bus, all of which had been carefully cut out and assembled by skilled hands. “Our activity went wonderfully, and it was just great to see hundreds of model buses being carried through Wiesbaden,” reports Patrick Lahr. The close, collegial exchange with the City of Wiesbaden at the neighboring booth on topics such as counseling for upstairs’ target groups was also particularly nice. The Office of Social Work marked the 100th anniversary of the Wiesbaden Youth Welfare Office with various activities on the square. Parents, grandparents, and other adults learned about services for families in Wiesbaden and were able to paint, solve puzzles, and get active together with the children.

Long-time upstairs donors were also among the visitors. “It was simply wonderful to see how the idea of supporting upstairs with donations has now been passed on to the next generation,” Patrick Lahr observed during conversations with guests at the upstairs booth. The festival was a complete success, the EVIM Youth Services team noted. EVIM will be back again next year for the anniversary celebration. (hk/pl)