Berlin a city of tolerance says Mayor's spokesman

“Berlin is a city where you can feel the mood of the future, it may not be rich economically but it is rich in young people and maybe the Pope will recognise this”, says Richard Meng spokesman for the Mayor and senate of Berlin in an interview with Veronica Scarisbrick. Mayor Klaus Wolwereit was recently re-elected to his third term in office.

“Berlin is not a very religious city, people belonging to a religion are just about one third of the population, all religious believers together, Christian and Muslim are in a minority”.

Meng says undoubtedly the highlight of the Berlin leg of this four day visit is Pope Benedict’s visit to the lower house of the Federal Parliament, and the address he has been invited to give. “I am really looking forward to it”, he says. Regarding the planned boycott by some members of parliament he responds: “I don’t understand these complaints because he has been invited and it’s a matter of respect that he be allowed to speak”.

"This is our understanding of tolerance that anyone who lives here can do and say what they want to, and we must respect each other, it will also be an opportunity for people to say they don’t agree with the Pope but we are still looking forward to his visit and its important that he come to the capital”.

Listen to full interview :