The Wartburg Festival of Democracy is a project of the Society for the Study of the History of Democracy (GEDG), in association with the Wartburg Foundation Eisenach and in cooperation with Friedrich Schiller University Jena.
The Student Forum on Future Democracy explores questions concerning the future of democracy. Since 2023, committed students from various countries and backgrounds have been invited to Eisenach each year to learn from one another and develop visions and action strategies for a democratic future: What challenges do democratic societies currently face, and in what direction should democratic communities develop? And, in particular, how can young people become more actively involved in working towards a stable and inclusive democratic future?
The International Student Forum thus serves as a hub for transnational exchange and collaborative democratic planning for the future under the umbrella of the Wartburg Festival of Democracy, thereby providing a platform for the exchange of ideas, experiences and perspectives. For example, the format facilitates discussion of the challenges faced when participating in politics in students’ home countries, enabling them to jointly identify political missteps as well as potential avenues for action. As a result, the students draft the Wartburg Declaration on the Future of Democracy as part of the forum, in which they compile and publish their analyses, demands and visions for the future. At the end of the week, they present a first draft of this declaration in the historic hall of Wartburg Castle.
Overall, however, the Student Forum on Future Democracy is not just a place for international exchange, but also a space of support. Participants have the opportunity to encourage, inspire and help one another, as well as to build long-term networks with like-minded people. Following the first Student Forum in 2023, a dedicated alumni network was established – the Student Network on Future Democracy – whose members not only help shape future forums but also carry the forum’s ideas back to their home countries, continuing the discussion on the future of democracy through initiatives such as local democracy clubs or international follow-up projects.
