VISION AND MISSION
OUR VISION
We are committed to a future in which East German* people bring their diverse perspectives into the shaping of politics and society on an equal basis!
*Who is actually East German? People can feel and identify as East German through their place of residence, place of birth, socialization background or how they describe themselves (see DEZIM study). This means that we use the term to include a large number of people, regardless of whether they experienced the GDR and the reunification period themselves or were born long after reunification, regardless of whether their families have lived in East Germany for generations or only recently.
OUR MISSION
We are the voice / mouthpiece of Generation Z from the East. We connect Generation Z and promote cross-generational exchange about the different experiences and realities of life of East German people, because these are still relevant after over 30 years of reunification. Through our multimedia political education and public relations work, we make East German perspectives in politics and society visible. We are always committed to democracy, equality and participation.
HOW ARE WE DOING THAT?
WATCHING
East German realities of life must be made visible. For successful and inclusive German unity and a sustainable democratic society on equal terms, a greater awareness of the different life experiences in the East is needed. The diversity of East German life stories is still overlooked. These realities of life are characterized by numerous simultaneities and ambiguities: between democracy and anti-democratic structures, between East and West German socialization, between staying and going, between perspectives and lack of prospects. Likewise, the aftermath of the GDR and the reunification period not only affects older generations, but also those who never knew division. We create the visibility of these perspectives through political (educational) work and through strong public relations work for East German issues.
LISTENING
East German voices must be heard more in politics and society. With our documentary we give young people from the East a voice to make their voices heard in society. With our work, we put the issues of Generation Z on the political agenda. At the same time, we create spaces in participatory workshops that invite all generations to listen to each other. We also invite you to listen in Europe: With our cooperation partners in Central and Eastern Europe, we have been working on the transformation experiences since 1989.
SPEAKING
Society must enter into an intergenerational, pan-German dialogue. We are committed to ensuring that people don't just talk about East Germans, but with East Germans. We are therefore committed to a dialogue on equal terms between people from East and West Germany. To achieve this, we organize events in the form of workshops, network meetings, podiums, discussion groups or exhibitions that promote (inter)generational and interregional exchange. As a (K)Einheit, we act as the voice of East German Generation Z.
© Uwe Löscher Fotografie
DOING
Young East Germans want to get involved. We offer young people a space to explore their own East German identities through creative processes and encourage them to commit to a democratic and equal future. At the same time, we want to connect people across generations in order to make the different experiences in East Germany tangible and to strengthen their self-efficacy. Learning from each other strengthens joint actions. We act as part of a strong network of East German initiatives.