Press kit: Nine municipalities honored for special commitment

Future Fashion is the new movement for sustainable textiles and conscious consumer behavior in Baden-Württemberg. It was initiated last year by the Baden-Württemberg Development Cooperation Foundation (SEZ). Many events will take place under their roof in the coming weeks. Clothes swap parties, an exhibition, future fashion experts, city tours and the Fair Trade trade fair at the beginning of April are intended to shake things up, illustrate alternatives to fast fashion and show that everyone can change the world with their own consumer behavior.

Dornstadt, Fellbach, Gerlingen, Lahr, Leonberg, Mannheim, Möglingen, Neckarbischofsheim and Schwäbisch Gmünd: These are the nine municipalities that were recognized this year for their sustainable commitment and development activities. With their campaigns and events during the nationwide One World Days in September and October, they reached out to many people in their communities and expanded the existing network of committed people. The celebratory award ceremony in the New Palace in Stuttgart marked the conclusion of the eighth nationwide initiative Meine. Your. One World. 2019 of the Baden-Württemberg Development Cooperation Foundation (SEZ). It took place under the patronage and in the presence of State Minister Theresa Schopper: “My. Your. One World. is a great initiative. At 400 events, cities, communities and civil society took global responsibility and sent a strong signal for social cohesion, climate justice and international cooperation.”

“Global responsibility starts on our own doorstep. Municipalities and local initiatives play a very important role in this. All those involved in One World Days are role models for others. Because they show what sustainable action can look like in concrete terms. The many joint actions of creative and committed people from Baden-Württemberg create a network for global responsibility that is becoming increasingly dense,” said Philipp Keil, Managing Director of the Baden-Württemberg Development Cooperation Foundation (SEZ). And he added: “With migration and the question of the causes of flight, but also with climate change, global issues have long since arrived in the communities.”

The foundation invites people to the project every two years. It took place for the third time in collaboration with Engagement Global's Municipalities in One World service center with funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

“With the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations has presented an ambitious catalog of 17 goals (Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs) for a just and sustainable world. We are all called upon to achieve these goals in the next ten years,” said Dr. Stefan Wilhelmy, Head of the Municipalities in One World Service Office. “The districts, cities and municipalities have a key role to play here. Sustainable development affects almost all areas of local activity. The municipalities are suppliers, planners, procurers and ambassadors. The change towards a sustainable and fair society and global coexistence can only succeed if local citizens are actively involved, their ideas are taken up, but their needs are also taken into account,” said Dr. Wilhelmy continues.

32 municipalities with a total of almost 400 events took part in 2019. The award winners particularly illustrated how the United Nations' 2030 Agenda with its 17 goals for sustainable development can be implemented. When evaluating the project, the jury placed particular emphasis on local networking, addressing target groups, public relations work and its role as a model for other initiatives. The members of the jury were experts from the areas of municipalities, education and partnership work.

Among the 180 guests of the evening were representatives of all the municipal networks involved, high-ranking participants from politics and administration, including members of the state parliament and mayors. Silke Arning from SWR moderated the evening.

About the award winners: 1st category: Small municipalities

1st prize (5.000 euros): “Big goals start small.” That was the motto of this year’s “Dornstadter GUT LEBEN!” Action Days for Sustainability”! This makes it the 8.000-resident community Dorn city We managed to put together “a meaningful, professional and free program with almost 30 events over six weeks,” according to the jury’s statement. She particularly praised the high level of motivation, commitment and, above all, the work with and for young people. Dornstadt also scored points with its extraordinary diversity of actors and the inclusion of all age groups.

2st prize (3.500 euros): Gerlingen took part in the Meine initiative for the first time in 2019. Your. One World. took part and immediately came in second place. The jury was impressed by the “well-thought-out” program and the civic engagement “from below”. It was possible to network many different actors and to talk to each other. “With creative and innovative formats, you made it possible to think outside the box,” said the laudatory speech. A “different general meeting” brought different partners together, the FreeFood group saved 2 bread packages from destruction and there are plans to create a “showroom for flowering areas” on a wasteland in the village.

3st prize (1.500 euros)“What does elephant protection have to do with fair trade?” asked the One World activists Moglingen and dedicated the One World Days to the connection between species protection and fair trade. The topic was brought to life at an exhibition in the local library, which many school classes visited. For the Möglinger, this year's action days were also an opportunity to make concrete plans for the future in order to “inform about global connections and show local options for action,” as the jury emphasized.

About the award winners: 2nd category: Medium-sized municipalities

1st prize (5.000 euros): Achieved for the fourth time in a row Fellbach 1st place in the competition. According to the jury, more than 50 actors and just as many events in six weeks show “that a lot of citizens in your city are active for sustainable development worldwide.” The continuous work has already triggered concrete changes. The city has signed the model resolution “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, and the local parishes have committed themselves to the principles of fair parishes as part of the Remstal Garden Show. According to the jury, this would certainly not have been possible without the Fellbacher Weltwochen.

2st prize (3.500 euros): The One World Days in lahr were dedicated to the SDGs, the 17 sustainability goals. An exhibition about the SDGs in Alemannic marked the start of the Lahr activities. The jury was particularly impressed by “the great commitment to encounters and exchanges between old and new citizens”, for example with integration tandems, an international café or a soup festival. In order to raise awareness of the long-standing partnership with Alajuela in Costa Rica among the younger population, it was creatively integrated into the event program.

3st prize (1.500 euros): “Colourful is much more possible” was the name of the program with which the newcomer to the competition Leonberg won 3rd place straight away. 20 groups participated and designed the program. “For the first time, you have brought together various actors who are involved in development policy in Leonberg to varying degrees at a round table,” the jury said, adding that the actors had set themselves fixed goals after completing the activities. The jury mentioned that the topics of integration, development cooperation, interculturality and SDGs were brought together through the events as particularly praiseworthy.

About the winners: 3rd category

Since there were more small and medium-sized municipalities taking part in the project this year, in addition to a prize for a large city, a newcomer prize and a classic car prize for long-term commitment were awarded.

Large municipality (3.333,33 euros): The activities of the World Weeks in Mannheim were embedded in the local agenda “Mannheim 2030”, as the city’s mission statement based on sustainability goals is called. The jury emphasized that a special feature of Mannheim's commitment was that the organizers “tried out innovative and easily accessible formats” and not only concentrated on the city center, but also went to the outskirts. For example, there was an interactive harbor tour to highlight the Mannheim harbor as a hub for global retail chains, a religious mile that connected churches, synagogues and mosques, and a post-colonial city tour.

Newcomer price (3.333,33 euros): The prize, awarded for the first time this year, went to Neckarbishopsheim. “Building bridges for the future” was the name of the program with which the city of 4.000 residents convinced the jury. She praised the diversity of local actors and the impact of the actions. In the eyes of the jury, the involvement of the students was “particularly valuable,” “which also has an impact on the families and friends of the children and young people.” The commitment of the people of Neckarbischofsheim does not end with the World Weeks, but is continued with agreed measures was another argument for the price.

Classic car award for long-term commitment (3.333,33 euros): 2019 has Schwäbisch Gmünd for the sixth time in the Meine initiative. Your. One World. took part. Reason enough for the jury to honor the long-standing commitment of the people of Gmünder with the classic car award. “Gmünd likes it fair” was the motto of their One World Days. The jury was impressed by the harmonious program with around 30 different events, which received a great response; Many activities were integrated into the Remstal garden show. “You have once again succeeded in involving a large number of actors and reaching different target groups with creative formats,” said the jury.

About my. Your. One World.

The initiative, launched by the SEZ in 2006, took place for the eighth time in 2019. 104 different municipalities in Baden-Württemberg with their local networks are part of the project, many of which have already taken part several times. Over 2.400 events have been created through the collaboration of municipalities, their municipal institutions, civic, church and private initiatives as well as those committed to development policy. The aim of the project is to raise awareness of global issues, encourage responsible actions in everyday life and strengthen local networks. Mine. Your. One World. is part of the SEZ Partnership Center and takes place as part of the One World Promoter Program Baden-Württemberg.