50 years for inclusion: Club68 Cologne fights for equality!

50 years for inclusion: Club68 Cologne fights for equality!

In the debate about inclusion and social participation, Hans Günter Brands, co -founder of the Club68 Cologne Association, vehemently advocates the rights of people with disabilities. He criticizes the insufficient implementation of inclusion in the German education system and demands more financial resources for daycare places, mixed school classes, retreats and better trained teachers. Brands has been pursuing developments in the field of inclusion for over 50 years and is considered a pioneer for equality for people with disabilities in Cologne. The Club68, founded in the 1970s from a group of students and community service workers, initially campaigned for youth leisure work and later organized demonstrations for better conditions.

The strengthening of inclusion remains a central concern 50 years after the foundation of the association. Despite the progress achieved, Club68's focus on education, education and social participation remains unchanged. Around 13 members are currently actively involved in the club, but have difficulty winning young people for voluntary work. These challenges often result from the financial situation of the younger generation, which mostly has to take care of their own existence.

planned projects and activities

To meet the challenges, the Club68 plans to reorganize through various projects. These include the art event "ADHS is Power" and the inclusive installation "Lost Paradise", which is shown in the Orangery Theater in the Volksgarten. This event is scheduled for several dates in the summer of 2023. A subsequent documentary exhibition on the work on “Lost Paradise” is to follow in autumn 2023. The association also strives to professionalize its projects and to take part in festivals in order to draw attention to the topic in the general public.

Brands emphasizes that despite the progress, a lot has to be done to reduce existing prejudices. "Lost Paradise" is shown in Industriestraße 170 in Cologne and can be audible for people with disabilities. The dates are set on July 27, August 2 and August 3, 2023, whereby the association's contact information can be found on its official website.

inclusion as a social task

Inclusion is not only an important topic for the Club68, but also a social concern. The term includes overcoming exclusion and barriers that prevent access to educational offers. In the demand for inclusion, reference is mainly referred to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which introduced the topic in the educational discourse. In Germany, however, there is no uniform definition of inclusion, which makes the discussion more difficult. Historically, inclusion is often analyzed in connection with social inequalities.

As the Federal Center for Political Education deals with, inclusion is both a state and a process; It is important to overcome illegitimate exclusions and create permeable limits. It is a challenge for society as a whole that cannot be limited to certain groups or institutions. This also applies to the diverse forms of exclusion that must continue to be combated.

The importance of inclusion is emphasized in many social events, such as at the event "5 to 12 - time for democracy", which took place on February 24, 2024 in Düren. Around 300 people took part here to advocate democracy and to set a sign of the importance of freedom of expression. These relationships make it clear that the commitment to inclusion and democracy goes hand in hand and that everyone is challenged to become active. Again and again it is emphasized that the defense of democratic possibilities against extremist endeavors is of immense importance.

Further information about the Club68 Cologne can be found on the website at www.club68koeln.de