From March 21st to 27th, 2026, students from the Gymnasium am Augarten in Vienna and the Goethe-Gymnasium in Berlin came together. For one week, they focused on human rights and democracy, and how to strengthen them in Europe..
The seminar „Democracy does not stand still in times of change.“ had set itself the goal of Strengthening understanding of the European Convention on Human Rights and democracy. The students from Berlin and Vienna learned Responsibility for human rights, Europe and democratic values to take over and stand up for them– with her own voice and in their actions. During an excursion to the city center, the participants shared biographies of "heroes of democracy and human rights" with each other. For example, they learned about Hilde Copi and her... Resistance against National Socialism as well as a number of other people. In the next step, the students compiled a list of their heroes. These included Anne Frank, Rezo, Alexander Van der Bellen, and Greta Thunberg. It quickly became clear that role models are a ambivalent attitudes exhibiting – a finding that sparked lively discussions and encouraged active engagement with historical and current topics.
How it is possible to directly influence democracy from the age of 16 was demonstrated during a visit by Dennis Buchner conveyed in a lively manner. As a member of the Berlin House of Representatives, he reported on how parliamentary democracy works and what democrats stand for. He addressed current issues such as the housing shortage and emphasized the importance of voting.
The young people then worked to central values of democracy in the workshops. The seminar increasingly became a space where theory and practice, reflection and creative action met and merged. The participants were encouraged to, to express their opinions, to critically question issues, and to actively participate in social discourse.. They translated the results into works of art, reflecting on them repeatedly throughout the process. Content and expression of the work created, in joint discussions. The event concluded with a presentation, in which the participants exhibited and performed their works and presented the ideas behind them to the guests.
Seminar results
Under the direction of Ezgi Sahin, an impressive performance was created within four days, incorporating key elements of the seminar. The participants explored the issue of violence in depth, presenting their findings on stage in a blend of dance and street dance elements.
Felix Pestemer supervised the comic workshop. Drawing on their own experiences, the artists explored a wide range of topics. The resulting works, exhibited at the presentation, reflect this diversity. They included caricatures of teachers as well as emancipatory reinterpretations of Grimm's fairy tales.
Click here to go to the Results.
Tobias Möhring developed and set up the metal workshop at the wannseeFORUM. The workshop participants hammered, welded, and used angle grinders in the garden, creating sculptures. Some were painted and framed in wood for presentation. To the sounds of heavy metal music, the young people presented their work in the darkened fireplace room, further emphasizing the industrial atmosphere of the show.
Click here to go to the Results.
Gigow Flow led this workshop and gave an introduction to the genre on the first day. Building on the insights gained from the thematic program unit and the excursions, the participants set about rhyming individual verses. The impressive hook makes the workshop's outcome a truly special listening experience.
The workshop, led by Helena Ohmert, began with the construction of the canvas frames. After stretching and priming them, the students from Vienna and Berlin captured their impressions and thoughts on the theme on the canvases. Acrylic paints and other colors reflect the „do not stand still“against democracy and the danger to which this form of government is exposed.”.
Click here to go to the Results
We would like to thank all participants, teachers and workshop leaders for a successful seminar.
This seminar was supported by:
