The picture shows the north side of the Ahorn-Sportpark hall at sunrise. The reddish light appears behind the building.

The Ahorn-Sportpark at sunrise

Ahorn-Sportpark

Activity day against racism – Sport and Diversity in the land of four colours

The photo shows seven people lined up in front of a green impact wall/mat. Two women stand on the far left and right, with five children in between, each holding a balloon aloft. One child is holding a book entitled "Vier-Farben-Land" high in their hands. Everyone is smiling at the camera. The photo was taken in connection with the campaign against racism. There, the children learnt about racism and exclusion in a playful way

Annika Krause (ASC Paderborn, on the left) and Maren Richts (Ahorn-Sportpark gGmbH, on the right) with some of the explorers of the Four-Colour Land.

Exercise brings people together and sends a message against racism

With plenty of movement, imagination and shared experiences, the Ahorn-Sportpark became a place where diversity was actively celebrated on 21 March 2026. At the activity day “Spiel und Spaß im Vier-Farben-Land – ein buntes Sportprogramm gegen Rassismus”, 30 families enjoyed a special afternoon as part of the Aktionswochen gegen Rassismus. The event, which not only sparked the children’s imagination but also promoted important values such as tolerance and community, was organised by Ahorn Sport- und Freizeit-Club Paderborn e. V. (ASC) and Diakonie Paderborn-Höxter e. V.

Through play and physical activity, children aged four to seven were introduced to the topic of diversity. At the heart of the programme was Gina Ruck-Pauquèt’s story of the “Vier-Farben-Land”. In the story, a boy named Erbs overcomes the separation between the colours and shows how everyone benefits from living together. This message was brought to life through a varied programme of physical activities. From jumping and throwing to balancing and sliding, the children actively explored the Vier-Farben-Land before symbolically making the boundaries disappear during the final activity together.

“It is always wonderful to see how quickly children connect through physical activity, regardless of their background or language,” say Maren Richts (Ahorn-Sportpark gGmbH) and Annika Krause (Ahorn Sport- und Freizeit-Club Paderborn e.V.).

In addition to the activities for four- to seven-year-olds, provision was also made for their younger siblings: childcare was available for children aged zero to three, so that the whole family could take part in the event. The accompanying parents also saw how important values such as respect, openness and solidarity can be conveyed in a playful way.

Melina Görken from the Diakonie is delighted by the overwhelmingly positive response from the participating families: “It’s wonderful to see how well the event has been received and how many families have had the opportunity to engage with the issue of racism.” With this day of action, the organisers sent a clear message against racism and in favour of open, respectful coexistence. Or, as the story of the Four-Colour Land conveys: life is simply more beautiful when it’s colourful.