On 11 September, 2024, around 300 guests—including Emanuel V. Towfigh—celebrated the 18th anniversary of the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) in Berlin. It came into force on August 14, 2006. At the same time, the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency was founded, which has since received more than 80,000 cases since then.

In her speech, the Independent Federal Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination, Ferda Ataman, spoke of the AGG as a »milestone in the history of democracy«. The Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Lisa Paus, called it a »breakthrough for anti-discrimination policy«. The evening’s keynote speaker was author and publicist Prof. Dr. Michel Friedman, who placed the significance of the AGG in the current social context:

»There is more discrimination in our country than ever before. It is not only commonplace among extremists, but has also reached the center of society. People who experience discrimination need more support than ever«

Despite all the praise for the AGG, the need for reform was also mentioned several times. Ferda Ataman criticized the weak protection against discrimination. This could be remedied by the reform of the law promised in the federal government’s coalition agreement.

[Translated by DeepL]