Challenge accepted: Demokratiefeinde in Schule, Job und Verein – was nun?

In the organizer's words:

Right-wing populist actors are not only gaining influence in parliaments, but are also making targeted use of democratic structures to anchor themselves in (civil) society institutions. Whether in staff councils, trade unions or church councils - the shift to the right can be seen in many areas of public life. Places of learning and memorials are also coming under increasing pressure.

In this event, we want to discuss various forms of this political influence on our everyday world and name specific examples: How can we counteract this development without jeopardizing democratic principles of open discourse? Where does legitimate provocation end and where does the deliberate undermining of democratic structures begin?

These questions will be discussed:

• Dr. Jens-Christian Wagner (Director of the Mittelbau-Dora and Buchenwald Memorials Foundation)
• Representative of the city student council
• Representative of the City of Hanover (requested)

You are invited to take part in the discussion and think together about the right way to deal with enemies of democracy in our everyday environments.

The event will be moderated by Dr. Magnus Koch (Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung). It is part of the supporting program of the touring exhibition #ChallengingDemocracy. From Helmut Schmidt to today. This can be seen from March 4 to April 17 in the foyer of the Volkshochschule Hannover. The exhibition takes a biographical look at Helmut Schmidt as an actor in contemporary history and combines the topics and debates of the late 1960s to 1980s in the Federal Republic of Germany with current debates. Then as now, people are asking themselves questions: What protects and what threatens democracy? How social and how sustainable is democracy?

It can be seen from March 4-17 in the foyer of the Ada and Theodor Lessing Adult Education Center in Hanover.