Our village has a future: Gold villages honored - celebrations in Saarlouis!

Our village has a future: Gold villages honored - celebrations in Saarlouis!

On July 10, 2025, the final event for the district decision of “Our village has a future” took place in the Saarlouis district office. Around 130 guests, including mayors of the participating communities as well as ministry representatives and members of the state parliament, came together to honor the achievements of the participating villages. It was with great joy that the award was announced for the “gold villages” of Reisbach and Altforweiler, which were highlighted as role models for rural commitment and community development. These successes were accompanied by a colorful program, including dance performances by the “Aschbacher Narrekäpp” and musical performances by the “Blechbanausen” of the “Harmonie” Gresaubach music club.

District Administrator Patrik Lauer led the festive event and made it clear how much passion and creative energy is put into the villages' development projects. All participants received prize money of 500 euros and participation plaques, while the gold villages also won 1,000 euros each and a winner's shield. The jury was particularly impressed by the “greatly coordinated travel programs” in Reisbach and Altforweiler. The event sent a strong signal for cohesion and creative power in rural regions.

Meritorious initiatives

In addition to the gold villages, special prizes were also awarded. Felsberg received an award for the work around Neufelsberg Castle, which is to be developed as a tourist center. Bilsdorf presented creative ideas for village renewal with a new multi-generational space and a multifunctional facility. Gresaubach impressed with the creation of a new village center and the strong cooperation between the clubs. Dörsdorf and the village in Bohnental were also nominated for their commitments with special prizes that recognized organizations and collaborations.

Participation in this competition is not only a sign of cohesion, but also an opportunity for villages to demonstrate their measures for sustainable development and quality of life. A look at the individual villages shows how diverse the commitment is:

• Aschbach: Umfangreicher Veranstaltungskalender und gut gepflegte Anlagen.
• Eimersdorf: Eine starke Gemeinschaft, die sich aktiv in die Dorfentwicklung einbringt.
• Primsweiler: Familienfreundliche Angebote und eine Vielzahl an Wander- und Radwegen.
• Werbeln: Beeindruckender Zusammenhalt beim Wiederaufbau nach dem Pfingsthochwasser.

From the district to the state decision

The gold villages of Reisbach and Altforweiler will take part in the state competition in late summer and autumn 2025, where the Saarland state winners will be determined. This competition takes place as part of a comprehensive evaluation in which villages in North Rhine-Westphalia presented their initiatives to promote community life and sustainable development. The commission of experts evaluates, among other things, the concept development, the social aspects and the handling of building culture as well as nature and the environment. The aim is not only to give the villages an award, but also to give them valuable feedback for their further development, as Land NRW reports.

But the competition is not just a one-off event. It reflects a continuous interest, as shown, for example, by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture in its program to strengthen rural communities. Innovative projects are supported here that support social connections and personal responsibility. The aim is to strengthen rural areas and also actively address demographic change. Such funding, which provides up to 200,000 euros for important projects, is extremely valuable for the communities affected, as can be read on BLE.

The current events surrounding the competition clearly show how important cohesion, creative solutions and the commitment of the people in the villages are. The heart of rural living spaces remains the active community that shapes its environment and plans for the future. There is definitely still a lot to come!