“Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the more often and the more persistently I think about them: The starry sky above me and the moral law within me.” – Immanuel Kant
In view of unspeakable considerations about the deportation of entire ethnic groups at a meeting of right wing extremists in Potsdam, the STScI e.V., as the operating organisation of the Waldbröl school observatory, feels compelled to oppose such ideas. As a scientifically oriented group, we recognise that ethnic, religious and gender differences are irrelevant for scientific work and the education of the next generation of STEM students. On the other hand, these differences are not only crucial for our common interaction, but also for an enlightened view of the world. We currently have Christians, Muslims, Yazidis and atheists working together in a respectful manner – both men and women. Thinking is positively influenced by cultural differences. Only with such diversity, in which everyone contributes with their individual skills, can we fulfil our mission of promoting young talent in the spirit of a democratic, peaceful and responsible society. We are thus resolutely opposed to all endeavours that seek to marginalise and want to prevent this peaceful coexistence.
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