On Wednesday, 8 October, from 12 noon, young people aged between 14 and 26 from all over eastern Germany are invited to the OstVISION youth conference at the Garagencampus, Zwickauer Straße 164, to think about the future together and develop concrete ideas for a youth-friendly eastern Germany.
A colourful day full of action, workshops, creativity and politics at eye level awaits all participants - organised by and for young people. The core theme of the event is: "Stay or go? Prospects for young people in the East".
Admission is free of charge. Prior registration is required at: https: //eveeno.com/ostvision2025
Representatives of the media are invited to accompany the OstVISION Youth Conference, to talk to participants and organisers and to make the results visible. Interview opportunities with young people and guests will be offered on site.
For organisational reasons, please register by Wednesday, 1 October at ostvision(at)dkjs.de.
Media representatives will also have the opportunity to talk to all the participants at the final planning meeting on Thursday, 2 October from 4 to 4.30 pm at Schmidtbank-Passage, Hartmannstraße 5. Please also register for this at ostvision(at)dkjs.de.
What can participants expect?
Workshops & hands-on activities from 12 noon:
Whether leisure activities, sports, city centre design or future prospects through training or studying: at OstVISION, concrete ideas for a future worth living in the East will be collected, discussed and heard. There will also be graffiti workshops, DIY areas with screen printing and craft stations, poetry slams and much more. There will be a party with a DJ at the end.
Exchange with politicians and decision-makers:
From 4.30 pm, the young people will meet representatives from politics and society.
We will be welcoming, among others
- Petra Köpping, Minister of State, Saxon State Ministry for Social Affairs, Health and Social Cohesion,
- Susann Rüthrich, Children and Youth Commissioner of the Saxon State Government,
- Elisabeth Kaiser, Minister of State, Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany,
- Ines Saborowski, Vice-President of the Saxon State Parliament.
After a tour of OstVISION, there will be an open round of talks. In this way, the concerns will be heard directly and discussed with the political representatives on site.
Background:
OstVISION is organised by young people for young people. The results will be incorporated directly into a film documentary for the region. The conference is taking place as part of the Capital of Culture year Chemnitz 2025 and is supported by the German Children and Youth Foundation in cooperation with the City of Chemnitz and the Capital of Culture team and funded by the Saxon State Ministry for Social Affairs, Health and Social Cohesion. This measure is co-financed with tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.
OstVISION is the opening event of the five-day festival "Betonblühen".
Background information on the living conditions of young people in Germany can be found in the paper "Jugend ohne Lobby - Sozialisationsbedingungen junger Menschen zwischen struktureller Marginalisierung und individueller Resilienz". Excerpts of this will be presented at the event and can be made available for research at a later date.
Co-operation partner:
The German Children and Youth Foundation (DKJS) is committed to the educational success and social participation of young people in Germany. The focus is primarily on those children and young people who grow up in difficult circumstances. To achieve this goal, the DKJS brings together stakeholders from government, business, science, practice and civil society and works with them to develop practical responses to current challenges in the education system. www.dkjs.de
The coordinator for child and youth participation in the city of Chemnitz, Katrin Günther, promotes the participation of children and young people in the city of Chemnitz with various age-appropriate formats. The youth conference is a format for giving young people a voice and engaging in dialogue with decision-makers.
European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 gGmbH: "C the Unseen" is the motto of Chemnitz 2025 and stands for the visualisation of aspects of the city and region that have so far gone largely unnoticed. With the title "European Capital of Culture", the focus will be on people, places and activities that have not previously been at the centre of tourist attention. The voices of young people are also to be brought to the fore.
The Betonblühen Festival: From 8 to 12 October 2025, the Betonblühen Festival will bring a breath of fresh air to Chemnitz. The festival for young culture is organised by young people as part of the Capital of Culture and consists of five days full of concerts, cultural events and hands-on activities. Each day of the festival has its own theme, from music and art to sport and DIY to a joint hangout on the last day. The festival is completely free of charge and takes place in well-known Chemnitz cultural venues as well as in cross-genre locations, perfect for rediscovering the city. The festival is organised by young people as part of the CREATE.U youth programme of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 gGmbH.
Contact persons:
Katrin Günther, Child and Youth Participation Coordinator
City of Chemnitz, Mayor's Department
Phone: 0371 488 1518, e-mail: katrin.guenther(at)stadt-chemnitz.de
Matthias Labisch, Programme Department
German Children and Youth Foundation GmbH
Phone: (0351) 320156-18, e-mail: ostvision(at)dkjs.de
* amended on 7 October 2025