About the Content:
As the public discourse grows harsher, people all over Germany are coming together this fall to listen to one another discuss what “home” means.
The word “home” resonates with people who feel deeply rooted, as well as with those for whom home is a complex issue due to their own migration experiences. At the same time, it touches on the concept of an inner home or a sense of homelessness, as well as questions of identity and belonging: When do we feel at home, and when do we feel we’ve truly arrived?
Important: This “Speaking & Listening” dialogue format is not about convincing others of one’s own opinion. Participants share their personal experiences and listen to one another without interruption or debate.
The goal: to give voice to experiences and perspectives that are often underrepresented in public debates.
If the participants agree, key insights will be documented anonymously and compiled into a shared conversation map.
All local discussions will contribute to a nationwide snapshot of public sentiment, the results of which will be presented on November 17, 2026, in a public online event.
Information:
Under the title “One Hundred Dialogues, One Question: Home,” the association “Mehr Demokratie,” the Open Society Initiative, and the “Pocket Project” will launch a Germany-wide conversation about home in the fall of 2026.
From early October through early November 2026, approximately 100 events will take place. People will come together at Volkshochschulen, schools, clubs, companies, church congregations, neighborhood centers, and municipal facilities to address a common question: “What does ‘home’ mean to me, to us, to Germany?”
The series is aimed at people with diverse experiences and political views, including those who have rarely participated in participatory formats or who rarely feel represented in public debates. The events are nonpartisan and open-ended.
At a time when social cohesion is increasingly being put to the test, “The Big Conversation” aims to show that understanding begins when people listen to one another.
The free event will take place at the Volkshochschule in Lebenstedt (Thiestraße 26a) on Friday, October 30, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.
Registration is required. You can register online via the Salzgitter Volkshochschule’s website or in writing using the registration form.
If you have any questions, please contact the Volkshochschule at 05341/839-3604.