Empower Democracy! Lange Nacht der Demokratie in Heidelberg

In the organizer's words:

From nationwide demonstrations following the Correctiv revelations at the beginning of the year, growing anti-Semitism and racism to the state elections in Saxony and Thuringia in September - our democracy has already been through a lot in 2024. This makes it all the more important that we stick together, network and start the fall with a good dose of confidence.

And what better occasion than the anniversary of the Kompetenznetz Plurales Heidelberg? For 6 years, people, associations and initiatives in Heidelberg have been working to ensure that our democracy does not have to remain our problem child - supported by the Office for Equal Opportunities of the City of Heidelberg and Mosaik Deutschland e.V..

We want to celebrate this commitment and have made a Long Night of Democracy out of it: activist and performer Gianni Jovanovic as moderator and speaker, insights into the "chamber of horrors" of right-wing extremism from our partner city Bautzen, various musical acts, delicious food - and hopefully you? Empower Democracy stop!

PROGRAMME

• Opening by Mayor Stefanie Jansen with music by Aylin & Kazim
  The young talents Aylin & Kazim from Mannheim will provide the evening's audio highlights that will inspire reflection and empathy.
• 6 years of Kompetenznetz Plurales Heidelberg - interactive kahoot quiz about Heidelberg and its commitment
  Who are the people involved in Heidelberg and which projects have been launched in recent years? Use our quiz to discover the diversity of initiatives and associations in our city and be inspired to make new contacts and initiate joint projects. All you need is your smartphone to play along and arouse curiosity about our colorful landscape of actors. And who knows - maybe even a new exciting collaboration will result!
• Keynote speech by activist Gianni Jovanovic
  Gianni Jovanovic is a person who cannot be pigeonholed! As the child of a Roma family and a homosexual man, he has experienced open racism and prejudice - and has been actively fighting against it for years. With his initiatives, lectures, workshops and as a performer, he sets a strong example for diversity and equality. In his keynote speech, he calls on people to play an active role in shaping our democracy and encourages all those who want to get involved in creating a fairer society.
• Empowering couch discussions
  In three rounds, Gianni Jovanovic and two exciting guests who are committed to diversity on the ground will discuss the topics of empowerment, resistance and visions for the future. Be inspired by the diverse perspectives!
• Plurality Party
  When the discussions and talks come to an end, the party begins! DJs from Heidelberg, Mannheim, Hamburg and Berlin will provide the beats for an unforgettable night. One of them is SENU, whose sets combine sounds from Africa, the Americas and urban spaces from various diasporas. Her music is influenced by Berlin's diverse music culture and combines hard bass with polyrhythmic arrangements that fuse genres such as Afro Beats, Baile Funk, Hard Drum and Gqom. As co-founder of the DJ collective SLIC Unit, SENU brings collective joy and radical solidarity to the dance floor.
• Bautzen's "cabinet of horrors"
  Throughout the evening, the "Bautzener Gruselkabinett" can be visited on the forecourt of the Karlstorbahnhof. The mobile exhibition by the tvBUNT association documents racist violence in the district of Bautzen and throughout Saxony. With audio recordings, images and texts, it provides an in-depth insight into the extent of right-wing extremist structures and provides information on how to deal with them. As a twin city of Heidelberg, Bautzen is an important example of how necessary solidarity alliances are in the fight against exclusion and hatred.

ACCESSIBILITY

✓ Two German sign language interpreters will accompany the evening's program from 18:30 to 21:00.

✓ All event rooms are accessible for people with reduced mobility.

✓ The Karlstorbahnhof has a barrier-free design, a quiet room and wheelchair access. A barrier-free toilet and a toilet for all are located to the right and left of the bar. Noise-canceling headphones are also provided and there is an induction system for people with hearing impairments.

✓ Further information on the barrier-free accessibility of Karlstorbahnhof can be found at www.heidelberg.huerdenlos.de

✓ An awareness team of two people will be on site that evening: a contact person for cases of discrimination and crossing boundaries and another person who will provide support with questions and concerns about accessibility.

✓ Please let us know your needs by September 25, 2024 so that we can make appropriate arrangements. You can reach us at koordination@mosaik-deutschland.de or +49 (0) 155 / 66158592

Empower Democracy is a cooperation of the Office for Equal Opportunities of the City of Heidelberg with Mosaik Deutschland as part of the Competence Network Plural Heidelberg as well as the Stadtjugendring Heidelberg and the Karlstorbahnhof. It takes place as part of the Long Night of Democracy Baden-Württemberg.

Price information:

Admission is free of charge.