For democracy & against right-wing extremism: How you can get involved
State elections are coming up this year in many German states, and the far-right AfD party is polling high. This development is causing concern for many people, not least because current developments in the United States show how fragile democratic standards can be. An engaged civil society is therefore crucial to counteract these developments and defend democratic values.
In this article, we present seven ways in which you can stand up for democracy and an open society. From participating in demonstrations to supporting alliances and campaigns against right-wing extremism to conversation strategies in everyday life, you will find a wide range of opportunities to get involved here.
This is how you can get involved against the far-right and for a diverse democracy:
- Attend campaigns, demonstrations and events against right-wing extremism
- Get involved in democratic parties
- Discover local campaigns and alliances against the far-right
- Use conversation strategies & facts against far-right rhetoric
- Understand the racism problem by listening to those affected
- Get involved in projects that promote democracy via vostel.de
- Donate for organizations against the right & for a strong democracy
1. Attend campaigns, demonstrations and events against right-wing extremism
There are daily campaigns, events and demonstrations across the country that you can take part in. These include rallies, information events, workshops and readings, as well as open meetings organised by local organisations and ongoing demonstrations against right-wing extremism and for an open society.
The DEMOKRATEAM website provides a good overview of current campaigns throughout Germany. There you will find regularly updated dates for events and campaigns in your area.
2. Get involved in democratic parties
By donating to or becoming a member of a political party, you can help to strengthen democratic structures. As a member, you have the opportunity to help shape political debates, submit motions, work in task forces on topics that are important to you or stand for office. Many parties also offer youth organisations in which you can get actively involved. This allows you to have a direct influence on political decisions and help shape the future.
Of course, you should find out in advance which party is committed to the issues that are important to you and that you would like to develop further.
3. Discover local campaigns and alliances against the far-right
Working together with like-minded people at networking events on ideas for a diverse, open and democratic society can give you a good feeling of self-efficacy. We present three initiatives that regularly organise opportunities where you can get actively involved.
Demokratie-Navi
‘Take the test! Which democracy commitment suits you?’ With this question, the Democracy Navi invites you to find the right way for you to get involved for more democracy. Are you more of an activist, is donating a good way for you or would you like to get involved in the form of volunteering? Find out for yourself.
Initiative Offene Gesellschaft (Initiative Open Society)
The organisation works hand in hand with institutions and citizens for more political participation and social progress. Radically constructive for solutions that prove themselves in practice. To this end, they run a democracy hub and regularly organise the Open Society Day.
Stiftung Bürgermut (Civic Courage Foundation)
The foundation regularly organises numerous events to network and professionalise committed individuals, associations and non-profits. These include bar camps for personal encounters and dialogue, workshops and webinars for further training in various topics, as well as publications with encouraging stories and helpful knowledge.
4. Use conversation strategies & facts against far-right rhetoric
Whether it’s the uncle at the family party inciting against refugees, the colleague at the company party ranting about fake news or people ranting in comment columns about the great repopulation: we often simply feel speechless because we are not used to contradicting such statements or we simply lack the counterarguments. Unfortunately, leaving such statements unchallenged is usually taken as approval or at least acceptance.
It is precisely in such situations that presenting a counter-position and questioning statements is an important lever for refuting misinformation and right-wing slogans – and thus preventing their normalization. Fortunately, there are now many platforms that offer training, discussion guidelines, argumentation strategies and fact checks. We would like to present some of them here:
Interactive trainings
Argumentation training | Network for Democracy & Courage
The argumentation and action training is aimed at committed people from society, politics and education and imparts knowledge about misanthropic attitudes and ideologies, shows options for action and tests these in exercises. The training courses can be requested individually. As they involve costs, it can be useful to complete them together with others, e.g. with colleagues or friends.
Conversation tips & argumentation guidelines
Conversation tips & guides | Kleiner Fünf
The initiative gives you valuable tips on how to counter right-wing arguments with radical politeness, i.e. objectively and respectfully. To this end, they have put together a series of recommendations for engaging in conversation with different types of people.
Conversation Strategies | Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung
The Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung offers discussion strategies in its brochure “Haltung zeigen”. This includes asking the other person to stay on topic, asking open questions or encouraging a change of perspective.
Facts as a basis for argumentation
If the AfD were to come to power…
Under this title, verdi Mittelfranken has compiled various facts from different AfD programs in a brochure, which many AfD voters are probably not aware of. Employee rights would be severely restricted, women would have to “go back in the kitchen” and people with disabilities would be systematically excluded.
Facts about flight & asylum – from Pro Asyl
How many people are seeking asylum in Germany? Have the capacities for admission been reached? And should asylum seekers do community service? The organization Pro Asyl has compiled various facts and figures on the asylum debate on its website, which provide additional information as a basis for informed discussions.
Facts about flight & asylum – from Mediendienst Integration
The Mediendienst Integration has also published a well-structured overview of issues relating to refugees and asylum. In it you will find facts about the number of people who have fled to Germany, general information on asylum law and current payments on work and education for refugees in Germany.
5. Understand the racism problem by listening to those affected
Understanding the racism and discrimination that people who are labelled ‘non-German’ by right-wing extremists are regularly confronted with is an important basis for conversation and discussion. Amnesty International provides 7 tips in a short guide on how white people can take action against racism – and yes, also against their own, often unconscious racism.
Amnesty also has a good selection of anti-racist literature, films and podcasts on its website, which you can use to inform yourself and develop a better understanding. These include books/podcasts by Tupoka Ogette (Exit Racism), Alice Hasters (What white people don’t want to hear about racism but should know), Kübra Gümüşay (Language and Being) and Emilia Roig (Why we matter – The end of oppression).
6. Get involved in projects that promote democracy via vostel.de
In Germany, there are a large number of non-profit organizations that are specifically committed to fighting the right and promoting democracy. You can find some of them on vostel.de and get in touch with them here to support them in their work. These include, among others:
Arolsen archive
The organization aims to bring knowledge about Nazi crimes into today’s society and operates an extensive online archive for this purpose. In their current project #everynamecounts, you can volunteer from home to record the names and dates of victims and survivors of National Socialism and document them for posterity. Against forgetting and for respect and diversity.
Start with a Friend
The organization connects immigrants and locals with various projects to form tandems based on interests and needs. Ideally, a friendship will grow out of this, but in any case, a social network is created that makes it easier for immigrants to get started in Germany. For more diversity and community.
Strong Democracy e.V.
The association offers concrete support for people in local politics against hate and violence, for example through targeted initial information or awareness-raising workshops. With the support of local politicians, the association works to preserve and strengthen our democratic system.
At vostel.de you will find many other projects where you can get involved against the right and for more democracy.
7. Donate for organizations against the far-right & for a strong democracy
Of course, you can also support organizations that are actively involved in the fight against the far-right and for democracy with a donation to finance their work. We present selected organizations here. Of course, the list is not exhaustive. If you know of any other initiatives worth supporting, please send us an email to hello@vostel.de or leave us a comment. We look forward to your tip!
Amadeu Antonio Stiftung
Since its establishment in 1998, the Amadeu Antonio Foundation has aimed to strengthen a democratic civil society that consistently opposes right-wing extremism, racism and anti-Semitism. The foundation uses donations to promote democracy in rural areas, carry out research and educational work, offer direct support to those affected and much more.
CORRECTIV
CORRECTIV is a media company oriented towards the common good that strengthens democracy. As a multi-award-winning editorial team, they stand for investigative journalism. They trigger public debates – as was recently the case with the publications on the secret meeting of right-wing extremists in Potsdam, work with citizens on our research and promote society with our educational programs.
Gesicht Zeigen! (Show Face!)
The association stands and works for respect and tolerance. Against racism, anti-Semitism and right-wing violence. In campaigns, training courses, events and workshops. They are just as active in public as they are at grassroots level. They work in schools and with social multipliers. In doing so, they are living democracy and working to strengthen civil society. Up-to-date, political, interactive.
Schule ohne Rassismus (School without racism)
At around 4,300 schools across Germany (as of November 2023), pupils and teachers have made a decision: they want to stand up for a world in which all people are treated equally. More than two million pupils now attend a school whose members have committed themselves to working for the equality of all people and against all forms of discrimination. It is the children and young people at the Courage schools who decide which topics they want to deal with. With the support of their teachers, they decide for themselves what the agenda of their commitment is.
Zentrum für politische Schönheit (Center for Political Beauty)
The Zentrum für politische Schönheit sees itself as the radical wing of humanism and regularly organizes sensational campaigns. They are currently collecting evidence from citizens of AfD members’ hostility to democracy on the afd-verbot.de website.
Their basic conviction is that the lessons of the Holocaust are nullified by the repetition of political apathy, the rejection of those seeking help and cowardice, and that Germany must not only learn from history, but also act on it.
Kein Bock Auf Nazis
Kein Bock auf Nazis (KBAN) is a colorful and undogmatic initiative with a clear mission: to give courage against the right! Since 2006, they have been supporting, networking and informing young people and young adults about the far-right, racism and the neo-Nazi scene. They provide information material, posters and stickers to initiatives, groups and individuals who are active against the right. They also help to mobilize protest actions via our social media accounts.
We are delighted that you would like to join us in standing up against the far-right and for democracy!
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