Munich, 1 October 2025 — Today in Munich, Opening Up the Outdoors (OUTO) launches Belonging Without Barriers, the first comprehensive study documenting the lived experiences of People of Colour in Germany’s outdoor spaces.

Conducted alongside CLOUT LTD, the in-depth research reveals alarming levels of racially based prejudice and discrimination, both in everyday life and in nature. The findings shed light on how systemic barriers persist in spaces often idealized as free, open, and inclusive.

Journalists, brand representatives, changemakers, and industry leaders gather at Sporthaus Schuster in Munich to reflect on the study and commit to action. Researcher Caroline Dennett from CLOUT LTD, Yasmin Dufournet, OUTO Council Member, and Margo de Lange, Secretary General, presented the study’s findings to the public.

OUTO DACH Changemakers, Djenna Wehenpohl and Julia Schwarz from Black Hike Hamburg sat down with OUTO co-founder and chairperson Keme Nzerem to talk through the study’s findings and how these experiences continue to shape their work to make the outdoors more inclusive.

These findings highlight that, while nature should offer escape, joy, and restoration for everyone, prejudice follows People of Colour into outdoor spaces. This denies them the same sense of safety, belonging, and access that others take for granted- eroding a fundamental human right: the freedom to enjoy nature.

The full research report, Belonging Without Barriers: Recognising and addressing racism and discrimination in Germany’s outdoors (German title: Ungehindert dazugehören: Rassismus und Diskriminierung in der Deutschen Outdoor-Kultur sichtbar machen und bewegen), is available now.

Access the complete research: openinguptheoutdoors.com/belongingwithoutbarriers

Press releases:

English: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18_e11991nxjTMYv7LmqYav3gDWH2JC4V/view

German: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z5gmR6h62_0tQu4RfNF-ZjTidiuA2Par/view