While the number of people seeking asylum in Europe is declining sharply, the number of people dying while fleeing is rising: According to the organization United Against Refugee Deaths, 66,519 people have lost their lives on their way to Europe since 1993 (as of June 12, 2025) — that’s 5,899 deaths since last year, averaging 16 people per day.  

In Berlin, a memorial event titled “Calling Them by Name” will be held from June 20 to 22, 2025, in honor of World Refugee Day. The event takes place at the Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom) and the Passion Church (Passionskirche) in Kreuzberg.  

Schedule:  

Friday, June 20, 2025 – Berlin Cathedral, Am Lustgarten, 10178 Berlin

From 10 AM to 5 PM, volunteers will read the names of the deceased and share the circumstances under which these individuals lost their lives while seeking protection. The reading will be accompanied by music.

Beforehand, the names and life dates of the deceased will be written on fabric strips and hung up both inside and outside the church.

6 PM: Memorial service for World Refugee Day.

Saturday, June 21 to Sunday, June 22 – Passion Church, Marheinekeplatz, 10961 Berlin-Kreuzberg

For 32 continuous hours—from Saturday at 10 AM through Sunday at 6 PM—the reading of names will continue. In half-hour segments, the names of the deceased and the details of their deaths will be read aloud.

At the top of each hour, there will be music, words, and moments of silence.

Sunday, June 22, 2025 – 6 PM, Passion Church, Berlin-Kreuzberg

“See – Pray – Act” – Closing ceremony and conclusion of the memorial event.

Join the Action “Calling Them by Name”

If you would like to participate in the name readings or contribute a short artistic piece at the Passion Church, please contact Barbara von Bremen: barbara.von.bremen@kght.de

Background: 

“Calling Them by Name” will take place in Berlin, Bern, Braunschweig, Chur, Dortmund, Essen, Frankfurt, Mannheim, Geneva, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Thun, St. Gallen, and Zurich.

In Berlin, the events are organized by the congregation of the Berlin Cathedral, the Protestant Church Congregation “Vor dem Halleschen Tor,” the Protestant Church Congregation Kreuzberg, and Asyl in der Kirche Berlin-Brandenburg e.V