The Project "dieGesellschafter.de"
The civil society debates – the Aktion Mensch project dieGesellschafter.de
(the name "Gesellschafter" means both: member of society and share holder in business terms)
After the government and the business community had dominated the debate on the future of society for years, since the spring of 2006 civil society has now begun to speak up with an impressive voice. More than 60,000 contributions and commentaries on the question "In what kind of society do we want to live?" are posted on the dieGesellschafter.de website. Aktion Mensch and numerous associations and organisations – including charitable institutions and German TV channel ZDF – stand behind the project. The goal of the project is to give the members of society the chance to regain control of the discussion on shaping the future of our society. Within the scope of the project dieGesellschafter.de a promotion programme supports initiatives for more equal opportunities in our society.
In what kind of society do we want to live?
"It is not the question of what kind of society people must or should live in that will determine the future of living together in a democracy, but rather the question of what kind of society they want to live in together", explained Markus Schächter, Chairman of Aktion Mensch, at a press conference kicking off the project dieGesellschafter.de. This change of perspective has unleashed a heated debate. The resounding feedback on the Internet website at diegesellschafter.de – over 700,000 visitors since the project began – is proof that there is a great need among the population to publicly exchange views on socio-political topics and the further development of the community. Dr. Bernhard Conrads, Managing Director of the Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe für Menschen mit geistiger Behinderung eV (German federal association for support of people with intellectual disabilities) and member of the board of Aktion Mensch, speaks of a "downright torrential discussion".
The over 60,000 contributions and commentaries gathered to date all deal with the question "In what kind of society do we want to live?" expressing poetic, utopian, political and social visions. At the same time, a lively debate on political concepts and social values is going on in various theme forums. "In these forums, the differences in society held forth by politicians and the media are reflected as an ideal type", summarises Heike Zirden, Divisional Manager for public relations and clarification projects at Aktion Mensch. "We offer visitors an open discussion and opinion forum in which the basic rules of successful communication are cultivated", says Ms. Zirden. A short excerpt from the discussions is documented in the regularly-published dieGesellschafter.de magazine, which is available free of charge in public libraries, adult education centres, socio-cultural centres etc. The magazine, with a circulation of 200,000, is intended to give people not having access to the Internet a chance to also participate in the project. A book is to be published in the spring of 2007, which will offer a more comprehensive and in-depth insight into social visions and utopian ideas. The book will address representatives of politics, industry and science.
Promoting honorary office with 10 million euros
The question "In what kind of society do we want to live?" also needs practical answers from civil society. Therefore, within the scope of this project Aktion Mensch supports new initiatives for more equal opportunities in society with up to 4,000 euros. "With this programme we would like to promote primarily projects and ideas of people who are committed either on a voluntary or honorary basis", says Dieter Gutschick, Managing Director of Aktion Mensch. This year alone, 10 million euros have been set aside for this. Access to the funds is straightforward and unbureaucratic: applications can be filled out online at the website.
To date the board of trustees has been able to approve several hundred projects, including many initiatives focusing on child and youth welfare projects, for example an art project for kids from Brandenburg, Poland and Denmark, and a sponsor network that links youths and adults with job experience who can help them find their way into the working world. But there are also numerous project ideas for broader groups of society, for example building a swimming area at a community lake or a Welcome Service Guide for new migrant families in the community. People who wish to help in existing organisations and initiatives rather than starting a project of their own can also find a database with over 2,000 contact addresses. This database serves as a kind of notice board for linking projects and interested parties, and is constantly being updated and expanded.
Work, economy and globalisation
The "ueber arbeiten" film festival is a part of the project dieGesellschafter.de of Aktion Mensch. Its focus on work, economy and globalisation spotlights key topics of current political reform discussions. At the same time they reflect the central themes of the debate on the question of "In what kind of society do we want to live?" in the Internet discussion forums. With 15 associations and organisations operating across the country as "film sponsors", as well as numerous regional partners at the 80 venues, the film series transports and "lives" the aim of the project: to provide a platform for the participation and networking of civic and social organisations and other committed persons. Additionally, the "ueber arbeiten" initiative will enable people to pose questions in film discussions, podium discussions and exchange views on the documentary films they have seen.
Together with charitable institutions, parent support groups, social and self-help organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGO), further activities are planned for the coming months, including such competitions as: "Utopia. The Society of Tomorrow" (in association with the German Publishers & Booksellers Association and the Stiftung Lesen foundation), "Real poor? Perspectives on Poverty" (in association with Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband, the German non-denominational federation of welfare organisations), "Unusual Friendship Stories" (in association with Caritas welfare agency) and the Gesellschafter art.award (in association with art.fair).
