Positive outcome after World Café

The city of Jena and Friedrich Schiller University Jena have drawn a positive balance after the joint kick-off event for the application process for the "Future Center for European Transformation and German Unity" (ZET) on 5 May 2022. Around 80 citizens of the city accepted the invitation to the "World Café". At the end of the event, the initially empty "tablecloths" were full of thoughts and ideas on how Jena can score points in the application for the ZET.

Lord Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche was delighted: "The results were impressive. Even if we can't reveal too much at this stage about how Jena will position itself in competition with other cities, one feature of our concept will definitely be the participation of the people living here. I am therefore all the more pleased that so many citizens took part in this first evening and shared their thoughts on what transformation in and for Jena and beyond actually means for them."

Impulses and exchange of ideas on the three pillars

In addition to a keynote speech by the Lord Mayor at the beginning of the event, other members of the organizing team introduced themselves, who also accompanied the discussions at the World Café tables during the course of the evening: Katja Bär, Dr. Christian Faludi, Martin Fischer, Prof. Jörg Ganzenmüller, Dirk Postler, Dr. Axel Salheiser, Dr. Christine Schickert, Tilo Schieck, Dr. Tobias Schwessinger.

The participants then discussed five topics and wrote down their thoughts on the paper tablecloths:

• What do we mean by transformation?

• How and where should the Future Center be created in Jena?

• How can we facilitate local participation and encounters?

• How could exhibitions be integrated?

• What direction should a scientific institute take?

These key questions take up the criteria for the Future Center, which is to be supported by three pillars: a scientific institute, a citizens' forum and an exhibition area. The concrete invitation to tender is expected in the summer.

Further events with citizen participation planned

Following the successful kick-off event,there will be repeated opportunities for thematic discussion and exchange in the coming weeks and months.

For example, a symposium entitled "European Transformation and German Unity: Societies - Experiences - Interpretations" will take place onJune20 , 4:00-8:00 pm, in the Rosensäle at the University of Jena.

Further idea workshops and public events, including one on Eichplatz, are currently being prepared. Dates will be announced in good time.

In the meantime, further suggestions or queries about the Jena Future Center can be sent to the e-mail address zukunftszentrum@jena.de(link sends email).