Bernburg. Coming to a cinema near you this year: The Bernburg (Saale)/Staßfurt local partnership invites you to the 2026 Democracy Conference at the Capitol in Bernburg. On Tuesday 3 November, from 12 noon to 3 pm, the organisers aim to engage in discussion with volunteers, opinion leaders, stakeholders and anyone else interested on the topics of participation, co-determination and democracy in practice.
The Bernburg and Staßfurt local partnership is a collaboration between the St. Johannis Bernburg Protestant Youth Welfare Foundation and the Salzlandkreis district. Together, the partners organise annual democracy conferences, funded through the federal programme ‘Demokratie leben!’. All preparations are carried out by the Youth and Family Services Department – the district is also the local point of contact for the federal programme – and by the Coordination and Specialist Unit, which is based at the Evangelical Youth Welfare Foundation.
Josephin Warthmann, Head of Specialist Services, summarises what participants can expect in terms of content on 3 November at the Capitol Bernburg, alongside a light welcome snack. She herself will open the session and speak about this year’s projects. “We are looking forward to the documentary film ‘Mehr Bürger an die Macht!?’ and the subsequent panel discussion featuring a representative from the State Ministry for Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Equality, Sascha Bock, Head of our WEMA Vocational Schools I, Nicole Gallinat, the coordinator at the Network Centre for Integration, and Leonie from the Bernburg Youth Advisory Council.” Whilst Marco Schmoldt, who is normally the mayor of the municipality of Bördeland, will be chairing the event, various practical examples of participatory decision-making will be presented on the day. The head of specialist services notes that there are many examples of voluntary work in the Salzlandkreis district.
On the website www.vielfalt-streuen-slk.de, anyone interested can find information about the work of the Bernburg (Saale)/Staßfurt local partnership. Registration for the 2026 Democracy Conference can also be completed easily online via this site. Participation is free of charge.