Ten years for democracy: Festival week in Dachau starts soon!

Ten years for democracy: Festival week in Dachau starts soon!

There is reason to celebrate in the Dachau district: The Partnership for Democracy has been committed to colorful, respectful and democratic coexistence for a whole decade. This initiative was launched in 2015 and has since developed into an important pillar of political education work. Numerous projects were initiated by the organizers to combat extremism, misanthropy and discrimination and to strengthen the democratic culture locally, reports South German newspaper.

By the way, the tenth anniversary is being celebrated in style! There are many events on the program in the last week of October, more precisely from October 27th to 30th. Highlights are the “Democracy Meetings” in the city library and a festive evening in the Ludwig Thoma House, where the renowned professor Andrea Römmele will present her book “Rethinking Democracy”. There are also workshops at schools, a tour of the KJR democracy mobile and exciting theater project days that not only impart knowledge, but also invite you to actively participate.

Young people in focus

In these anniversary campaigns in particular, the focus is on young people. With a video competition entitled “What does racism mean to you?” is intended to give young people the opportunity to express their thoughts and experiences on racism. The competition takes place as part of the International Weeks against Racism 2025 and is in collaboration with the Round Table against Racism Dachau e. V. organized, like that Live democracy initiative! reported. The powerful videos submitted reflect the diverse experiences of youth participants and will be posted online to encourage dialogue.

Another project that the Partnership for Democracy launched is Café Queer. A safe space is created here for queer youth and young adults to exchange ideas and share their experiences. In addition, the training series “non-discriminatory?” exciting workshops for educational professionals who deal with the various forms of discrimination.

Education as protection against extremism

Part of the political education work in the Dachau district also includes education about serious issues such as right-wing extremism and racism. Many schools are working on projects to raise awareness of these issues. Political education is seen as a central means of strengthening young people's ability to judge and act. The Sachesbach Consensus, which is a crucial cornerstone for political education, demands that students should not be pressured into certain opinions and that they be given the opportunity to engage with different political viewpoints, explains the Federal Agency for Civic Education.

The anniversary program also offers an opportunity to involve local cooperation partners who can suggest program items on democracy, diversity and the prevention of extremism. A festive conclusion to the anniversary week will be an exhibition on the work of the Partnership for Democracy. This makes it clear that the initiative not only makes a contribution to democracy, but also offers a variety of projects and events that enrich life in the district. Further information about the program is available online on the KJR Dachau website.