Young voices represented again at the RNE Annual Conference 2025

The annual conference focused in particular on the current social mood and discussed in various panels how a transformation can take place in the face of increasing fears about the future and a decreasing willingness to change, and how society can re-engage more strongly in a joint dialogue.

Luise Klingler, part of the co-determination project group and the strategy group in the German Scout Association of St. George, was on the panel of the themed forum "Building bridges - How do we get out of the bubbles?" as a representative of the Federal Youth Council. Together with Katja Dörner, RNE member and former mayor of the federal city of Bonn, Dr Klaus Reuter, board member of RENN, and scientist Sarah Wohlfeld from More in Common, they intensively discussed how society can re-engage in a stronger dialogue outside its own bubbles. Sarah Wohlfeld began by briefly presenting her findings on encounters and cohesion. The panellists and the audience then discussed in small marble groups where they are personally or in their field of work outside their bubbles.

Luise Klingler made it clear that youth organisations in particular are a very suitable place to meet and learn from other young people. She cited the increasing challenge of long-term voluntary work and time-limited project involvement as one of the key challenges. However, this reliability is a basic prerequisite for a good, safe meeting place at eye level for young people.

In addition, representatives from the Bundesjugendring's member organisations repeatedly contributed to the event with speeches to the audience, actively bringing young voices into the sustainability discourse at the German Council for Sustainable Development. In particular, the demand for more youth participation was brought forward.