City initiates initiative "Bonn Embraces Democracy"
In the heart of Germany, the city of Bonn has embarked on an exciting new journey towards fostering a vibrant democratic culture. The "Bonn Chooses Democracy" project, officially launched on July 23, 2025, aims to strengthen democratic values in individual districts and neighbourhoods, with a focus on integrating democracy as a tangible experience into the daily lives of its residents.
The project, spearheaded by Mayor Katja Dörner, is supported financially by the Bonn Cologne Bank's promotional association e.V., which is providing each participating project partner with a grant of 20,000 euros each. These partners, including the six Bonn quarter management offices, the Brüser Berg neighborhood center, the Brotfabrik cultural center, and others, bring long-standing experience and deep understanding of the needs of the citizens to their work.
The project's website, www.bonn-chooses-democracy.de, is set to provide additional information about the project from August 1, 2025. The partners are committed to promoting a vibrant democratic culture and encouraging active coexistence, with the aim of strengthening local democratic institutions and civil society by creating more inclusive and participatory frameworks.
The project's goal is to promote dialogue and strengthen political and social participation at all levels. By facilitating citizen engagement and reducing barriers related to education and social class, the project aims to promote equity in political participation. It also supports local democracy through capacity-building, awareness, and involvement in voluntary associations, which foster political skills and knowledge transferable to formal democratic processes.
The project's launch took place at the Lannesdorf/Mehlem quarter management, with Gero Wiesenhöfer, CEO of the Bonn Cologne Bank's promotional association, in attendance. All project partners have made a joint commitment to strengthening democracy at the local level, with the new impulses set by this investment intended to permanently shape democratic life in the neighbourhoods.
The "Bonn Chooses Democracy" project is expected to have a significant impact on local democratic participation, leading to increased active political involvement among diverse community members, empowerment of disadvantaged groups, and the strengthening of local democratic institutions and civil society. For precise information on partners, goals, and impacts, consulting project-specific documentation or official sources from involved Bonn-based institutions would be necessary.
- The project partners, such as the Bonn quarter management offices, Brüser Berg neighborhood center, Brotfabrik cultural center, and others, will strive to integrate a vibrant democratic culture into the home-and-garden lifestyles of residents, extending the democratic experience beyond political arenas.
- In addition to promoting political and social participation, the "Bonn Chooses Democracy" project aims to improve home-and-garden lifestyles by fostering more inclusive and participatory frameworks, ultimately creating a better quality of life for all community members.
