(1 Oct 2015) LEAD IN
Berliners are trying to make Germany's capital a more welcoming place for the thousands of migrants and refugees that arrive to the country each day.
They've put on a festival in the city to bring locals and newcomers together.
STORY-LINE
In it together.
At this festival in Berlin locals and newcomers are standing side by side.
Over the last few months hundreds of thousands of people - refugees and migrants - have entered Germany.
Most have come from Syria or Iraq, but many others have made the journey from countries like Eritrea, Kosovo and Serbia.
The reaction to the new arrivals has been mixed: with German citizens welcoming the new arrivals with posters and flags, to anti-immigration protesters who say the newcomers aren't welcome here.
A Berlin based group "Nice that you are here" is trying to counter this less than welcoming image.
Their 'Welcome Festival' is a mixture of fun and practical; bands play while information stands and lawyers provide answers to legal questions about asylum applications or help with translations.
There's also information for locals on how they can do their bit to help.
Thousands of people have turned out for the event.
The most important thing is for people to get to know each other says Elisa Pfenning one of the co-organisers.
"I think that we have to get rid of this labelling of refugees. All of a sudden people are not the 'doctor that comes from Syria' or someone that has interests and likes doing things, they are just seen as refugees. So, I think it is good to have an event like this where people can eat and talk and just get to know each other like humans. And not just 'you are the refugee and I am the local'."
According to the interior ministry of Germany, it is estimated that at least 800,000 people will apply for asylum in Germany in 2015.
In September alone some 13,000 migrants came to Berlin, some bussed here from Munich and other "hot spots", others came directly to Berlin to apply for asylum.
The asylum seekers are housed in sports centres, unused hospitals and schools and even in a tent city on the outskirts of the city.
But Pfenning says the city can, and should, do more.
"We have the money and we have the buildings. Here in Berlin for example, something like 50 percent of office buildings are empty and they can be used. You have to find a way to work it out with the owners of the buildings but it is possible. So in theory we have the infrastructure you just have to deal with it in a smart way."
Although the euphoria - with scenes of refugees being overwhelmed with gifts - seem to be slowing, there is still support for the refugees.
According to a 15 September opinion poll by the state owned television station ARD, some 59 percent of Germans think that the country takes the right amount or should take more asylum seekers.
That is against 33 percent that says that the country should accept fewer.
According to Gustav Gressel, visiting fellow at the European Council of Foreign Relations (ECFR) think-tank, this support is partly a response to right-wing anti-immigration actions.
"If I would have to boil it down to one factor I would name the campaign of right wing, extremist, violence that we witnessed in August and late July," he says.
Gressel also says that there is a distinct difference between Germany and many other European countries in the way that they deal with national identity, and the perceived threat to it by mass immigration.
One refugee that has made it to Germany is 25-year-old Ahmet Mohammed from Aleppo in Syria.
But that's not on the crowd's mind tonight, as the festivities continue.
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