Living together is work - the democracy conference took a look at the players and opportunities

At the invitation of the Partnership for Democracy, various stakeholders from the city and district of Offenbach came together in a virtual space to exchange news, expectations and ideas. The participants included representatives from the Volunteer Center (Sigrid Jacob and Renate Schulte-Spechtel), the Offenbach Adult Education Center (Beatrice Ploch), the prevention work at the South Hesse Police Headquarters (Jürgen Schmatz), the Offenbach Fan Project (Antje Hagel), the City and District Education Office (Susanne Meißner), the History Workshop (Ellen Katusic), the Offenbach Public Order Office (Frank Weber) and the Offenbach Land e.V. AWO District Association, Coordination office of the Offenbach Partnership for Democracy (Anna Christ).

First of all: A democracy conference? Weiß, who studied philosophy and political science and used to be a speaker and seminar leader at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, asked whether there was anything to worry about. It was a rhetorical question, but he was also shocked that conspiracy theory and anti-Semitic graffiti appeared in the city around November 9 and that corona was described as "a Jewish fake". "We can't have hate here, in Offenbach many different people from different backgrounds live together amazingly well, I think. Especially as there are different ideas of democracy," Weiß continues, "some simply didn't experience it in their country of origin and are only now learning what it means to be able to have a say free from fear." The joint struggle for social positions and decisions requires mutual respect. "As head of the schools department, I am experiencing escalating language and an increasing hardening of opinions in letters, especially on the subject of coronavirus. I find that worrying. This makes today's exchange about the projects all the more important - after all, we have a broad network of different players here who work every day to get people talking to each other."

For example, the Youth Art Mobile has been on the road in the city districts since 2010, inviting children and young people to the art and experimentation workshop on wheels. There they can let off steam creatively to their heart's content and learn creative techniques under guidance. Or the "Football in your life" project, which, according to founder and sports coach Birger Naß, "teaches tolerance and participation". The business administration graduate can look back on a long career in sport and is now visiting schools to use the power of soccer to teach topics such as inclusion, integration, learning the German language and equal rights for men and women.
Having a say right from the start - that's what the Children's and Youth Parliament (KJP) is all about. Children and young people have had their own political representation in the city since 1998, and Muhammed Hüseyin Simsek and Hanna Komin took part in the exchange on behalf of the KJP. Among other things, they reported on the participation workshop held at the beginning of July at the children's and youth farm together with the Office for Urban Planning and Stephan Färber, head of the city council. The workshop dealt specifically with the question of how young residents can be involved in planning and design issues and how they can contribute their ideas from the outset. "The exchange was good and has borne direct fruit," reports Simsek, "the KJP was now directly involved in the playground planning in the Neubeu area of Bieber. We were taken seriously and involved on an equal footing." Komin adds that this is important, because even with a good mix of fun, the opportunity to really make a difference counts.

The city construction kit, which the two designers Marina Kampka and Brigitte Brautmann are currently working on, is still in development. This should soon be available to all 24 Offenbach elementary school and make it easier to access the city. A method kit with information on places, people and stories, with tips and inspiration for lessons. Brautmann explains the idea behind it: "We want to work out the identity of the city and make it easier for teachers who are not from the city and do not know Offenbach to access it. The aim is to promote identification with the city and thus also appreciation and commitment to it. People might then be more likely to stay." Christian Keller, a teacher at Leibnizschule, spontaneously expresses interest and would like to see the activities for secondary school pupils expanded.

Manuela Baumgardt reported on the project and photographer Zino Peterek on the reactions to his exhibition "Racist Traces", which was on display in Büsingpark at the end of September and deals with everyday racism. "Everyday racism, which is widespread throughout society in all areas of life, begins where people are treated differently, excluded and discriminated against because of their appearance, origin or religious affiliation, for example," says Peterek. So far, so good - but how do you react to right-wing extremist graffiti, for example? Everyone agrees that painting over the graffiti quickly does not solve the problem, and that a creative approach to right-wing graffiti is needed. The spontaneously organized silent march in response to the current slogans on the walls was "an important and quick reaction from civil society", says Anna Christ from the "Demokratie leben!" coordination and specialist office for the district town of Dietzenbach and the city of Offenbach am Main.

Further possible responses and areas of action were developed and discussed in various groups. Some felt that an anti-discrimination office and coordinated exchange were needed. Others were in favor of making better use of existing networks and not creating duplicate structures. However, more discussion rooms and opportunities for exchange are needed. Shared experiences and encounters at eye level, "we need to go into the districts and set topics," demanded Ellen Katusic from the History Workshop. There is also a need for training courses that raise awareness of subtle forms of conspiracy theories, homophobia, racism and anti-Semitism. "That was a lot of ideas and impulses," said co-organizer Frank Weber at the end of the democracy conference, thanking everyone involved.

The Offenbach am Main Partnership for Democracy is committed to promoting democracy and combating extremism. It is organized by the AWO Kreisverband Offenbach Land e.V. on behalf of the City of Offenbach am Main, Municipal Prevention Office (Public Order Office). It is funded as part of the federal program "Demokratie leben! Active against right-wing extremism, violence and misanthropy" by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth and the Hessian Ministry of the Interior and Sport.