On 26 and 27 October, the Wirkbau in Chemnitz became a meeting place for 200 guests from nine countries, who discussed demographic change and cooperation between the generations. The event was chaired by Gottfried Haufe.
The first day began with a keynote speech by Manouchehr Shamsrizi, founder of the GameLab at Humboldt University. With an exciting journey through philosophy, technology and society, he showed how digital games and technological progress can shape the way we deal with challenges such as demographic change.
Christiane Droste, who presented the UPLIFT report on youth participation in Chemnitz, took a scientifically sound look. In the subsequent panel discussion "Put down roots or set sail?", personal experiences of young people who have left or rediscovered Chemnitz were combined with scientific findings. The contributions by actress Luise Emilie Tschersich, who encouraged young people to take advantage of the opportunities offered by their home city, were particularly well received.
The Generation team then presented its programme of 18 intergenerational projects. In a project gallery, the participants had the opportunity to discuss their projects directly with the visitors. At the same time, 30 young people from eight countries came together to share their perspectives on Europe and youth participation formats.
The first day ended with an artist talk by community radio station Refuge Worldwide. Moderated by Nicky Boehm, DJ Tereza from Chemnitz, artist Houwaida and cultural worker Killa spoke about mentoring and intergenerational exchange. Tereza emphasised the importance of extracurricular education, which enabled her to launch her own career as a DJ.
The second day was centred on Europe: projects from all over Europe showed how generations can be connected through art and culture. The Croatian collective Igralke presented "Grannies", a theatre piece that sheds light on the stories of older women and questions their stigmatisation in the cityscape. The Czech youth festival Majales from Budweis showed how young people are renewing structures and perspectives through a festival organised by students.
The highlight of the day was the panel discussion "Age is just a number?! How to lead successful intergenerational practice". International representatives such as Jaan Ulst (Tartu 2024), Hermina Ottova (Majales) and Tim Kuball (TU Chemnitz) discussed the structural requirements and innovative approaches for successful intergenerational work.
The conference ended with a concert by the jazz-soul band Theodor. The re:generation conference was an important opportunity for reflection before the start of the Capital of Culture year 2025. Together with European partners, not only were exciting projects presented, but feedback was also exchanged on the plans for the coming year.
What re:generation 2024 was like in Chemnitz
