When the whistle blows to start the World Cup Noureddine Ben Redjeb from Tunisia will be settling himself down comfortably in a Berlin pub a place for fans from the African countries who have made it to the competition. A smile spreads over Ben Redjebs serious-looking face when he talks about it. «I have a lot of sympathy with the small countries,» he says. «Especially when they show up the big countries.» It really will be David against Goliath. Who knows anything about the teams from Tunisia or Togo here in central Europe?

Nouri Ben Redjeb, who was born in 1954, is a thoughtful man, not someone who gives quick and simple answers. He has lived in Berlin since 1975. Listeners to Radio Multikulti, which broadcasts in various languages in the capital, know his voice. He is also well- known from parties at the House of the Cultures of the World. At the curvaceous 1950s building near the government quarter, known affectionately to Berliners as the «pregnant oyster,» he organizes music, dance and theatre programmes.

Ben Redjeb loves music from all of Gods countries. Almost everything that appeals to both the head and heart sounds good to him too. As a DJ he mixes Arabic and Latin American sounds, and even German golden oldies from the 1960s and 1970s. He breaks down musical boundaries until the audience feels at home. It is about having respect for foreign sounds, perhaps respect for foreign things in general.

The DJ is a well-travelled man who counts Samarkand and Beirut among his favourite cities. You can hear a little French lilt in his German and his language has kept the rich imagery of Arabic. The Tunisian likes to speak of the «diversity of cultures.» He hopes that a European capital like Berlin can create a common culture. Not a unified culture but a peaceful one whose members know, tolerate and respect each other. In short, he dreams that cultures can come closer in a lasting way just like his dance evenings with world music.

Nouri Ben Redjeb has decorated his flat with old chemists cabinets. His personal treasures are filed by country - innumerable CDs and records painstakingly sorted according to where they come from. The listeners to his radio show who maybe have never heard of the Lebanese singer Fairuz get the benefit. Those who know her music call it «Muchmali» warm, profound and beautiful.

Nouri Ben Redjeb thinks that Berlin has changed a lot in the past few years. He used to find Berlin a rather closed community. They sat in a narrow world of corner pubs called things like «Molle and Korn» (Beer and Schnapps), at dusty regulars tables behind yellowing net curtains. Today the corner pubs are disappearing and in trendy areas Lebanese, Indian and African bars are moving in.

«The new generation of 20-year-olds is totally different,» the Tunisian believes. «They get to know more nationalities at school. They learn foreign languages, they are more tolerant, open and curious than their parents.» In many peoples fridges now it is completely normal to have a packet of couscous, and the colourful Turkish markets in Kreuzberg are a welcome addition to normal German life for younger people.

But Berlin is not yet what it could be, Ben Redjeb thinks. The cosmopolitan international scene can be rather isolated. It is often the media from abroad that pay attention to well known foreign musicians. «Artists and musicians are a source of the international character that the city really wants,» says the music lover. «Berlin is still much too provincial.»

dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH