European Dialogue Forum “Places for Living”

At the end of June, ZusammenLeben e.V. in Hamburg, in cooperation with Anthropoi Bundesverband Deutschland, hosted the small but excellent European dialogue forum “Places for Living”. The invitation was organized by Ulrike Benkart, member of the board of Anthropoi Bundesverband and managing director of ZusammenLeben e.V.

Seventeen participants from Austria, Hungary, Romania, the Netherlands and Germany got to know extraordinary projects and programs with a lighthouse character in Hamburg as part of a learning trip focusing on “Living, Working, Volunteering”.

“Places for Living” was hosted by Hamburger Arbeitsassistenz, the Patriotische Gesellschaft von 1765 with its SeitenWechsel and Next Generation Social programs, tatkräftig e.V., Rathauspassage – Hamburgs sozialer Hafen, Ateliergemeinschaft Schlumper and the homeless magazine HinzKunzt. After the official end of the conference, there was the option of visiting the living and working spaces offered by ZusammenLeben e.V. on the outskirts of Hamburg.

Places for Living meets once a year at the invitation of one of the participants. The participants work in their localities in the areas of child and youth welfare, disability support and aid for homeless people, both in the anthroposophical social sector and with church organizations. The aim of the conceptual and professional policy exchange is the further development of inclusive living spaces in the participants’ countries. Last year, the learning journey led to the Diakoniewerk Oberösterreich in Salzburg and Linz. Next year, the trip will go to Hungary at the invitation of two church organizations.

Text: Ulrike Benkart

Private photos