Those were the opening days of the Leipzig location
#LetsTalkAboutRecht – May 31 through June 3, 2023
Three clicks, one turn of the key, and off we went at the May 31, 2023 for the first time during our opening week on Location Leipzig opened its doors—at least to the public. After we had already held a discussion evening last year marking the 30th anniversary of the Saxon State Constitution and the "Beyond the Museum" Symposium which we had previously implemented in other locations in Leipzig, we were now able to officially welcome them to „our“ Universitätsstraße 20.
The opening week was all about Signs of Exchange – with citizens at Book Presentation and a diverse program, as well as local legal and civil society stakeholders. Until the Forum Recht is inaugurated at Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz in a few years, we will make use of the newly opened Temporary Spaces, in order to offer and further develop our educational and program offerings on the topics of law and the rule of law, and to actively engage the urban community.
The lively discussion about law and justice during our opening days demonstrated just how fruitful the dialogue on this topic is and how important it is that we can now facilitate it in our own spaces. But what exactly did the opening days entail? Read more about it in our program recap:
„Evidence is being gathered!“ – Mediation Workshops in Leipzig
Bringing the rule of law and democracy to life—in Leipzig! What does it take to make this happen, which local approaches are particularly important, and how can we work with our partners to develop suitable projects? Our colleagues Thomas Stelzl and Vanessa Mittmann from the Outreach and Educational Programs used the opening days to „gather information“ and exchange ideas. Building on the experience gained from our programs for young people, „Unboxing the Law“ and „Young Legal Forum“, our team exchanged ideas during three workshops on May 31, June 01 and 06, 2023 with the Leipzig Youth Parliament, City Administration Staff and Teachers Together with representatives of the Youth Parliament, we developed ideas for participatory formats designed to convey information on topics related to the rule of law. The discussion focused on how to create access for young target groups. The following day, we spoke with experts from the Office for Youth and Family Affairs, the Department of Migration and Integration, police officers from the Prevention Unit, and a judge, and launched additional future working formats for Leipzig. On June 6, teachers and our team exchanged views on the challenges, opportunities, and conditions for teaching about the law and the rule of law in schools.
Thursday, June 2, 2023: Book presentation and discussion of „The Flame of Freedom“
The revolutions of 1848 and 1989 and the tension between (civil) disobedience and the rule of law were the focus of our first public event during opening week. Based on Dr. Jörg Bongs new book „The Flame of Freedom“, the author and the dean of the School of Law Prof. Dr. Katharina Beckemper and the director of the Leipzig Museum of City History Dr. Anselm Hartinger the relationship between resistance, the rule of law, and society. Author Jörg Bong vividly explained what we can learn from the The Revolution of 1848 can learn for today. Anselm Hartinger drew on Leipzig’s city history and the Peaceful Revolution She took us on a journey back to the late 1980s and highlighted what made—and still makes—nonviolent resistance so special. Inspired by our new Civic Engagement Display, Katharina Beckemper discussed tools of civic communication. In her presentation, she distinguished between the moral and legal dimensions of civil disobedience and explained the difference between „legal“ and „legitimate“. MDR journalist hosted the evening" Susann Böttcher. We'd like to thank all the participants for an exciting evening!
Hello, Leipzig!
While our book launch and open house on June 2 and 3 primarily invited passersby to engage in discussion and reflection on the law and the rule of law, we used June 2 to show our facilities to representatives of the press, the local community, and the judiciary. This provided our guests and the team with the setting for a getting to know each other, in order to future collaborations to make it possible.
This morning, [name] presented Volker Schneider from the Federal Agency for Real Estate Affairs solemnly to our Deputy Director Dr. Stephan N. Barthelmess in the presence of our committee representatives: President of the Federal Court of Justice Bettina Limperg and the Parliamentary State Secretary Benjamin Strasser as well as the mayor of Leipzig Burkhard Jung officially received the key to our new offices—in the form of a plexiglass panel. The The Future of the Foundation – from planning to construction – was the focus of the previous Press Conference.
Burkhard Jung aptly summarized why not only Karlsruhe but also Leipzig is an important center for dialogue on law and the rule of law: „Leipzig stands for new beginnings, dialogue, and a self-assured, engaged citizenry. Combined with its significant legal tradition—the Federal Administrative Court right nearby, the 5th Criminal Division of the Federal Court of Justice, and the Leipzig Faculty of Law—these are the best conditions for the Forum Recht Foundation to carry out effective work with a nationwide impact.“
A special highlight of the opening days was the unveiling of the prototype of our Citizen Participation Display („Civic Engagement Display“) together with our visitors. This feature was actively used not only during our open house on June 2 and 3, but at all of our events. The whiteboard with voting boxes, accompanied by questions on sticky notes, invites participants—whether individually or in groups—to discuss the expectations and questions we bring to the rule of law.
With this analog Citizen Participation Funds can Questions and Topics on Law and the Rule of Law be included, which Starting point for further program planning can be. We were particularly pleased that even critical comments served as a starting point for constructive and in-depth discussions. The bulletin board is still available at both locations, and we look forward to continuing to develop and use it together with you.
In the run-up to our opening days, we also spent time in downtown Leipzig talking to passersby about their ideas regarding the rule of law and where they encounter the law in their everyday lives. We’re delighted that we were able to record some of these conversations. You can find them at lets-talk-about-recht. You can also continue to send us your own personal responses there!
We’re taking home from our opening days in Leipzig lots of colorful, densely written notes and posters filled with wishes, ideas, and words of encouragement, a very special plexiglass panel, and hearts full of inspiring exchanges!
#LetsTalkLaw #LetsTalkAboutRecht
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