“Demokratie
braucht
politische Bildung”

Seminar: What keeps our societies together? Diversity, democracy and dialogue in times of migration

2. Aug 2017 bis 13. Aug 2017

Are our societies falling apart? Is our democratic system falling apart? Is Europe falling apart? So many people seem to be alarmed. In all over Europe we detect a mix of skepticism and anxiety leading to those questions. Politicians, analysts, and media specialists are not at a loss for explanations: They identify the influx of migrants, the economic crises and the threat of terrorism as reasons for public unrest.

With this project we will address the challenges to our political order, our democratic values, our human resources and finally identify the factors that keep our societies together.

  1. “Winners” and “losers” in our societies: Not everybody is on the winning side of society. Who feels left behind? Right-wing parties, nationalist movements and xenophobic groups are gaining support. What are the reasons for this development? We will bring along the stories from our countries and share experiences and reflections.
  2. Basic values of our societies: Can we agree on common values in our societies? Is it democracy? Is it human rights? We will share our understanding of values and we will look at how those values are established in the rules of democracy and the structure of civil society. Pictures, images, reports and messages will help us get an idea of what shapes national and global identities.
  3. Dialogue and diversity in times of migration: Which kind of dialogue do we need in order to keep society at a balance? How can we handle the growing diversity? And how can we meet the challenges of migration in this context? Diversity training, dialogue exercises and field visits to NGOs and civil society projects will provide practical tools to handling these challenging issues.
  4. Prospects of an inclusive society: What will keep our societies together in the future? Which new frameworks and forms of dialogue can ensure inclusion in a sustainable way?

At the end of the seminar, we will transfer our learning experience to the practical level and design follow-up activities and projects of international scope. The impact of this project will thus go far beyond the duration of the actual seminar program.

 

In Kooperation mit: Social and Education Innovations Lab “What for”, Corrymeela Centre, Ballycastle, Nordirland, Student Representation, Vilnius, Litauen

Veranstalter: 
Gustav Stresemann Institut in Niedersachsen e.V.
Veranstaltungsort: 

Gustav-Stresemann-Institut in Niedersachsen e.V. - Europäisches Bildungs- und Tagungshaus Bad Bevensen

Klosterweg 4, 29549 Bad Bevensen