Hundreds of thousands of people celebrated the Carnival of Cultures in Berlin on Sunday under bright sunshine. The traditional parade once again featured lively dances and colourful costumes from around the world, accompanied by instruments and rhythms of every kind. Around 70 groups and approximately 4,000 dancers, musicians, and other representatives of global cultural diversity took part in the procession.
According to the organisers, around 770,000 visitors watched the parade, which took place in midsummer temperatures reaching nearly 30 degrees Celsius. As in the previous year, the procession wound its way through the wide streets of Berlin's Friedrichshain district. In earlier years, the parade had always been held in the Kreuzberg neighbourhood.
This year marks the 30th edition of the Carnival of Cultures. Leading the parade with Brazilian rhythms was the group Sapucaiu no Samba, whose members dressed in green and brown to simulate a mangrove forest and called for the elimination of social inequality. They were followed by the group Org. por Bolivia, marching in traditional Bolivian attire. Police deployed around 1,500 officers for the event.
A spokeswoman for the organisers said the parade proceeded in a "very good atmosphere" and without any disruptions. The Carnival of Cultures had kicked off on Friday with a street festival at Blücherplatz in Kreuzberg, where celebrations will also continue on Whit Monday.
The Carnival of Cultures has been held every Whitsun weekend since 1996. It promotes cultural diversity and artistic freedom. Especially in times of social tensions and shrinking cultural spaces, it serves as an "important sign of solidarity, participation, and democratic togetherness," the organisers stated.
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