Get involved instead of watching from the sidelines

On 11 May, the traditional Spetzgarter Abendbrot offered far more than just an evening of talks and dinner. The focus was on the role that commitment and responsibility play in the cohesion of our society.

Following an introduction by Altsalemer Felix Mauser, the former Mayor of Cologne, Henriette Reker, spoke about volunteering as the foundation of our democracy. She emphasised that democratic societies do not thrive solely on institutions, but on people who are willing to take on responsibility and get actively involved. At the same time, she warned against leaving more and more tasks to the state alone.

Particularly impressive was her openness in addressing the challenges of political engagement. As an independent mayor, Reker became known nationwide following the far-right-motivated attack on her in 2015. The fact that she accepted the election despite this traumatic experience and continues to champion democratic values to this day lent her words particular credibility.

Following the talk, I had the privilege of co-moderating the panel discussion with Tim Schöneberger. Topics included political polarisation, women in politics, local government responsibilities, and violence against politicians. The numerous questions from the students demonstrated just how great the interest in these topics is at Schule Schloss Salem.

Henriette Reker’s visit and the questions she raised struck a chord with exactly the right audience. Taking on responsibility and helping to shape the community is part of everyday life here. Democracy is not just covered in lessons, but is lived out in projects, roles and discussions – an aspect that Henriette Reker expressly highlighted.

In the end, what remained above all was the feeling of having been part of an open and important conversation about how democracy can function today and what responsibility each and every individual bears in this regard.