Border experiences

Bridges instead of walls. Border experiences – The Civic Education Month in the Twin city

With over 40 events at 17 different locations and more than 1,200 participants, the first edition of The Civic Education Month, entitled ‘Border Experiences’, was a resounding success. This initiative brought Słubice and Frankfurt together for discussions on democracy, history and responsibility for a shared future.

Last November, the focus in Frankfurt (Oder) and Słubice was on dialogue, history and social engagement. The first ever Civic Education Month, ‘An der Grenze’ (At the Border), brought together residents from both sides of the Oder for almost 40 events – from debates and workshops to walks and lectures, youth meetings and film screenings. What they all had in common was a longing for a better understanding of democracy and strengthening relationships in a place where two cultures and two historical memories shape everyday life.

Highlights of the programme:

Discussions, readings and lectures with experts from both countries on democracy, the rule of law, disinformation and civil society engagement
Workshops and project days for schoolchildren, e.g. history lessons in the city library on key historical events in 1945, 1970, 1989, 2020 and 2023, all of which relate to ‘border experiences’
The first German-Polish youth conference ‘United by the Bridge’. Over 50 young people developed concrete projects for their shared future at the Frankfurt (Oder) city council meeting – from sports clubs to a cross-border youth centre. Here, young people became real bridge builders in their home region.
Themed walks and guided tours through Słubice and Frankfurt (Oder) to places of remembrance, ‘stumbling blocks’ (commeration blocks) and historical sites

Exhibitions such as ‘Football fans in the eyes of the German People's Police and the Stasi’ (The Ministry for State Security) in the Stasi Archive and ‘Some Were Neighbors’ of The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in the Viadrina Museum
Social interventions and workshops, including by the ‘Radical Daughters’
Commemoration of Kristallnacht (November pogroms), including a memorial concert on November 9^th
Activities in public spaces, e.g. an information stand, a ‘dialogue sofa’ and a table football tournament on November 7^th and 8^th in the Lenné Passagen

Why November? A month of turning points

November is a month of great symbolic significance for both Germany and Poland. Dates such as November 9^th (Kristallnacht/ November pogroms in 1938 and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989) and November 11^th (Polish Independence Day) provided the framework not only for commemorating history, but also for discussing current challenges such as disinformation, the rule of law and populism.

Innovation and impact

The unique feature of ‘Borderline Experiences’ lies in its integrated, cross-border approach. Frankfurt (Oder) and Słubice became a shared ‘experience space’ for:

* Change of perspective: Moderated, open discussion formats gave rise to exciting, sometimes controversial conversations that promoted a change of perspective and mutual understanding.

* Work that was carried out across generations (from peer guides in exhibitions to workshops for senior citizens). A particularly innovative approach was the active role played by young people, who not only helped to
shape the content, but also accompanied exhibitions as peer guides and helped to design programmes. This made young people visible as actors in political education and as bridge builders in the German-Polish
urban space.

* Sustainable networks between institutions on both sides of the Oder were consolidated.

The project has increased the visibility of political education in the Twin city, strengthened co-operation between different actors in the long term, and established new, resilient networks between partners from Słubice and Frankfurt (Oder). At the same time, it has created space for intensive exchange, dialogue, and joint learning processes.

Building on the positive experience, we are already planning new formats and a continuation of the project in terms of content and structure in order to further develop the work on mutual understanding that has been started.

Conclusion: Bridges are built together

The first edition of The Civic Education Month has shown that twin cities are the ideal place to talk about responsibility and European solidarity. Real change begins where there is a willingness to engage in dialogue.

Civoc/political education does not provide ready-made answers. It opens up space for discussion and teaches critical thinking – especially on the border, where two languages and cultures meet, this is invaluable.

In the BKJ podcast ‘Transformator – Der Podcast für eine kulturelle Bildungslandschaft’ (Transformator – The podcast for a cultural education landscape), Sören Bollmann, head of the Frankfurt-Słubicer Cooperation Centre, and Philip Murawski, founder of KUKURYKU!, talk about the potential of democracy education, the ‘Border Experiences’ project, and how political education can be jointly conceived in the German-Polish Twin city.

https://www.bkj.de/meldung/begegnungen-schaffen-die-eine-bedeutung-haben-neue-podcastfolge/

The Civic Education Month is a joint project of the Twin city and was developed by the Working Group for Political and Historical Education under the leadership of the Frankfurt-Słubice Cooperation Centre. Numerous institutions, initiatives and organisations were involved in shaping the programme, including:

Federal Archives – Stasi Records Archive Frankfurt (Oder) · European University Viadrina · Collegium Polonicum · Frankfurt (Oder) City and Regional Library · Frankfurt (Oder) Adult Education Centre (VHS) · Pewobe gGmbH · Słubice City Library · Frankfurt (Oder) City Sports Association · Viadrina Museum · Kleist Forum · SMOK Słubice · Jewish Community of Frankfurt (Oder) · Messe- und Veranstaltungs GmbH · Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt (Oder) · KUKURYKU e.V. · Protestant Parish of Frankfurt (Oder)-Lebus · Karl Dedecius Foundation · Kleines Kino e.V. · Local Partnership for Democracy Frankfurt (Oder) · Talenciaki Association · RAA Frankfurt (Oder) Democracy and Integration Brandenburg e.V. – ...and many other partners in the Twin city.

The Civic Education Month ‘Borderline Experiences’ was being held as part of the ‘Building Educational Bridges’ project, funded by the ‘Educational Communities’ programme through the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the European Union via the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus).

Photo gallery