Workshop against right-wing extremist ideologies in nature conservation
Adult education centre: on 25 April, 4.30 to 8.30 p.m., TIETZ, course room 4.07
On Tuesday, 25 April, from 4.30 to 8.30 pm, interested parties are invited to a four-hour workshop at the TIETZ, course room 4.07. Participants will learn how to identify and counter right-wing extremist ideologies in nature and environmental protection. The workshop "Ecology from the right - right-wing extremist ideologies in nature conservation and environmental protection" is aimed at people working in nature conservation and environmental protection as well as people who would like to learn more about right-wing extremist beliefs in their private and professional lives.
Participation is free of charge. Registration is possible by telephone on 0371 488-4343 or online here.
At first glance, nature and environmental protection appears to be a subject area that is occupied by left-wing and non-ideological actors and has little to do with right-wing extremist views. In fact, however, German nature conservation can look back on a long history of links with far-right ideologies. In so-called "Heimatschutz", (German) nature, "Heimat" and "Volk" belong firmly together and are defended against external, "foreign" influences.
Particularly in rural, structurally weak regions, those involved in nature conservation, environmental protection and (organic) farming are confronted with requests for cooperation, appropriation strategies and attempts to infiltrate from the right. This is where new right-wingers or right-wing esoterics retreat in order to exchange ideas with supposedly like-minded people and find support under the guise of local commitment.
In the workshop, speaker Anika Schmidt will sensitise participants to the historical and current links between German nature conservation and environmental protection and extreme right-wing ideologies. She will discuss right-wing extremist motives and goals in this area. Anti-democratic and inhuman ideologies and thought patterns will be presented. Building on this, possible options for action in terms of prevention and intervention will be jointly developed and discussed.
The event is a cooperation between "FARN - Fachstelle Radikalisierungsprävention und Engagement im Naturschutz" and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre. FARN was founded in October 2017 by Naturefriends Germany and Naturefriends Youth Germany to raise awareness of right-wing extremist tendencies in nature conservation and environmental protection.