RUB Centre for City Futures brings democracy dialogue to downtown Bochum

Coordinated by the German (UNIC) Centre for City Futures, called RUB CCF, the event marked the nationwide “Ehrentag” celebrating the 77th anniversary of the German Basic Law and focused on democracy, civic engagement and dialogue between science and society.

Across RUB’s CCF building, the city library and several public spaces, visitors took part in interactive workshops, public discussions and short scientific talks addressing democratic participation, social cohesion and civic responsibility. Researchers from RUB explored topics such as youth engagement in urban spaces, democratic identity and the protection of democratic values.

The programme also created opportunities for exchange between academia, local initiatives and civil society organisations, highlighting the important role universities can play in strengthening democratic culture at the local level.

As part of the UNIC Centres for City Futures, the German CCF aims to connect science, research and higher education more closely with urban communities and to create spaces for participation and dialogue in post-industrial cities. The action day demonstrated how universities can actively contribute to democratic engagement beyond the campus.

“By establishing the RUB Centre for City Futures in the main pedestrian zone, we are creating a place where science becomes visible and accessible in the heart of the city,” said Michael Weckop, the local Centre for City Futures Director and Lead Co-Creation Specialist. “This public event showed how important the exchange between universities and urban society is for a vibrant democracy.”

The event formed part of the preparatory programme “On the way to the House of Knowledge”, a future place for encounter and social participation currently being developed in Bochum’s city centre.

Find out more about UNIC’s Centres for City Futures: https://unic.eu/hr/city-futures

(Text & photos by Jasmin Hihat, UNIC@RUB team)