Ukrainian receives scholarship for cosmopolitanism and tolerance

According to the Ministry of Social Affairs and the City of Dresden, Ukrainian-born Svitlana Kovalchuk (36) has been awarded the "Marwa El-Sherbini Scholarship for Cosmopolitanism and Tolerance". The scholarship, which is awarded for two years, is endowed with 750 euros per month and is sponsored by the state of Saxony, the city of Dresden and the Dresden Concept Research Alliance. It commemorates the Egyptian Marwa El-Sherbini, who was the victim of a racially and Islamophobically motivated murder during a trial at Dresden District Court in summer 2009.

Awardee takes care of refugees from her home country

Svitlana Kovalchuk is a Master's student at the Technical University of Dresden and takes care of refugees from her home country. Saxony's Minister of Social Affairs, Petra Köpping (SPD), described the 36-year-old as a multi-talent. "Active social participation is close to her heart. She builds bridges between different language and cultural groups." She is an "outstanding ambassador" for the scholarship.

Kovalchuk sees the scholarship not only as support for her studies, but "above all as an opportunity to contribute to a cosmopolitan and tolerant Dresden. With my knowledge and experience, I want to help people from different cultures to understand each other better and to see diversity as a strength - not an obstacle."

Bloody act in Dresden district court shocked

Marwa El-Sherbini had accused a Russian-German of racist insults in a playground. In the appeal proceedings on July 1, 2009, the defendant stabbed the pregnant woman to death after her testimony. The perpetrator was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder.