Democracy and hope: Hephata invites you to the theme day in Treysa!

Democracy and hope: Hephata invites you to the theme day in Treysa!

From November 7th to 9th, the general convention of the Diaconal Community Hephata will take place in Schwalmstadt-Treysa, under the inviting motto: “Hopeful energy – active hope”. These days the focus is on strengthening democracy and protecting human dignity, in keeping with Article 1 of the German Basic Law, which emphasizes the inviolability of human dignity. Deacon Stefan Zeiger, Executive Director of the Diaconal Community, invites the public to participate in these important discussions and emphasizes the need to advocate for democracy, diversity, tolerance and openness. nh24.de reports that the public part of the convention begins on November 7th with an opening and reception service in the Hephata Church at 9:30 a.m.

The event will be musically provided by the Hephata Trombone Choir and Deacon Lothar Koch. Following the service, which is led by Maik Dietrich-Gibhardt, the new speaker, Deacon Martin Friedrich Mehl, will be introduced. A highlight of the events is the theme day on November 7th, which starts at 11:30 a.m. Here, the former managing director of “medico international e.V.”, Thomas Gebauer, will give a lecture on “Utopia of helping – social justice as a prerequisite for democracy”. Afterwards there will be time for discussions before lunch at the Hephata Diakonie food and supply center at 1 p.m. The afternoon of the theme day continues with a plenary exchange moderated by Matthias Blöser.

An important discourse about democracy and human dignity

On November 9th, participants can expect a blessing service in which 24 women and men will be blessed into the office of deacon. This service is also led and musically accompanied by Prelate Burkhard zur Nieden, Pastor Maik Dietrich-Gibhardt and Deaconess Beate Braner-Möhl. It is an occasion to celebrate and reflect on community and the responsibility that each individual has in society.

One aspect that is particularly emphasized by the entire convention is human dignity. In various workshops and lectures, Diakonie Hephata addresses the importance of preserving human dignity in today's world. This also includes workshops on topics such as “#HopeSpeech instead of HateSpeech” and “Asylum Law and Democracy”. This platform enables participants to actively address current social challenges and find solutions. According to hna.de, special topics such as Jewish life in the region and political responsibility are also discussed in these workshops.

Invitation to participate and registration options

Participation in the theme day is subject to a fee and amounts to 15 euros, including coffee, tea, cake, fruit and cold drinks; Lunch can optionally be booked for 10 euros. Those interested should register by Monday, November 3rd to participate in these valuable conversations and worship services. You can do this by phone at 06691 218-1402 or by email at gemeinschaft@hephata.de. This event not only offers the opportunity to receive suggestions, but also to make a personal contribution to strengthening the community and democracy.

In general, there is a lively commitment to the issues of human dignity and democracy in the region. For example, initiatives have been launched in the diocese of Speyer that call for dialogue and promote tolerance. Under the motto “Stand up for human dignity and democracy,” church representatives have called for active participation in elections and emphasized the importance of standing against populist movements. [caritas-speyer.de](https://www.caritas-speyer.de/bistum-speyer- stands-auf-fuer-demokratie-und-menschenrechte) reports on a joint initiative that calls for social unity.