Citizens’ Assembly Follow-Up: Strengthening Participation in Education
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The Montag Stiftung Denkwerkstatt announced in Berlin the preparation of a follow-up project to the Citizens’ Assembly, aiming to continue the concept of broad participation. This new initiative will feature innovative formats, stronger regional ties, and a focus on permanently bolstering participation within the education sector.
“This Project is Ending, But Its Impulse Continues to work”
“We are not at the end, but at a transition,” stated Dr. Karl-Heinz Imhäuser, board member of the Montag Stiftung Denkwerkstatt. The citizens’ assembly demonstrated “how powerfully citizens, children, and young people can think and create together. This project is ending, but its impulse continues to work.”
Imhäuser highlighted that the final conference clearly illustrated the participants’ serious and constructive approach to implementing their recommendations. This validates the core principle of the Citizens’ Assembly: when individuals are entrusted with responsibility, they embrace it – and, in doing so, also influence institutions.
First Results and Agreements: Children and Young People at the center
Key takeaways from the conference include:
- Binding commitments: Several educational organizations, associations, and networks have pledged to integrate the Citizens’ Assembly’s recommendations into their ongoing work.
- Strong Youth Presence: Numerous student representatives from Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Hamburg, lower Saxony, Thuringia, and Berlin actively participated – many expressing a desire to collaborate on issues such as co-determination, equal opportunities, and learning culture.
- Permanent Strengthening of Participation: A broad consensus emerged that children and youth participation must be permanently strengthened – within schools, committees, and political decision-making processes.
“We Want to Have a Say!”: Joint Declaration by Young People
With the campaign “We want to have a say!”, young citizens’ councils launched a nationwide participation initiative in collaboration with the Federal Student Council.
Key Takeaways
- The Montag Stiftung Denkwerkstatt is committed to continuing the momentum of the Citizens’ Assembly.
- Participants demonstrated a strong commitment to implementing the assembly’s recommendations.
- Increased youth participation and a focus on co-determination are central to the future of education.
Looking ahead, the follow-up project promises to build on the success of the Citizens’ Assembly, fostering a more inclusive and participatory education system. The emphasis on regional anchoring and new formats suggests a dynamic and adaptable approach to engaging citizens in shaping the future of learning.