Raise your voice. Democratic participation in European and Arab societies

How can we describe the current state of democracy in our societies? Are we facing authoritarian temptations? Do we sense an erosion of democratic structures? What opportunities of democratic
participation can we engage in? Can we still cope with radicalized groups that threaten social coherence? And how can we preserve a political culture that features open dialogue and appreciates diversity? With this project, we will path the way to make things happen. We will share our experiences, our stories, and our visions. We will use them to understand each other, to compare our narratives, to learn about the different realities of political development in our countries, to understand the concept of diversity and to design our future projects as activists of civil society. We will raise our voices; we will provide a space to be heard for those who doubt; we will create a platform for those who want to act.

Part I: Program in Bad Bevensen

• The story of making democracy work: terms of conduct in grassroots democracy ( including  agreements as a practical exercise)
• The stony paths to democracy: the story of chances and choices in European and Arab societies (presentations and perspectives from Europe and the Arab world)
• Diversity and district development: the story of strengthening civil society (with visits to projects in Hamburg)
• The challenge of choice and freedom:
• Diversity and dialogue in democracy education (practical exercises based on anti-bias and anti-discrimination concepts)
• Let's be who we want to be? Identity and self-understanding of civil society activists ( practical exercises with simulation games and explanatory

Part II: Program in Berlin

• The story of civil society: advocacy work and civic empowerment (visit to grassroots projects and discussion with political decision makers)
• The story of coherence and cooperation in democratic societies: pep talk and inspiration pool with conclusions from experiences
• What keeps society together? Project ideas on coherence and cooperation in democratic development (creative tasks for transfer of experiences and follow-up activities)