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Permanent flagging in Bautzen: New voices about the cultural flag!
Bautzen: Permanent flags in schools, new canteen team and art from the region – current developments in focus.
Permanent flagging in Bautzen: New voices about the cultural flag!
There are currently some exciting developments in Bautzen. The district council has decided to permanently hoist the European, federal, state and Sorbian flags in front of the administrative buildings of the district office in Bautzen and Kamenz. This decision was taken to emphasize the multicultural identity of this region and to give special visibility to the Sorbs, who have strong roots here. My colleague David Berndt asked student councils, parent councils and school principals about their opinions about the flag. There was both positive feedback and criticism. This shows once again how different views on cultural issues can be. Information can be found in a report by Sächsische.de.
An additional topic that is stirring minds in Bautzen is the new dishes in the canteen of the Bautzen employment center. This team change brings a breath of fresh air into the kitchen and promises varied, tasty menus for visitors. It will be interesting to see what ideas the new kitchen team brings with them and how the canteen responds to the needs of the citizens.
Culture and community of the Sorbs
It is not for nothing that Bautzen is considered the cultural and political center of the Sorbs. There are important institutions and educational institutions where Sorbian is taught and spoken. The coexistence of Sorbs and Germans has been firmly anchored in this region for over 1000 years and makes Bautzen a special place. It is all the more important that the city promotes bilingualism through appropriate signage and also through the secure legal status of the Sorbs. This is supported by the city's main statutes, which view coexistence as an enrichment. The city administration provides detailed information on this at bautzen.de.
The Sorbian culture has experienced some challenges in recent decades due to economic modernization and demographic changes. Despite these adversities, around 60,000 Sorbs still live in Lusatia today. In Upper Lusatia there are around 40,000. The sustainability of this culture depends heavily on people's identification and on the use of legally guaranteed rights to preserve and develop the Sorbian language and culture. Further historical aspects and developments can be found in the German Digital Library be read.
In this sense, the permanent flagging of the administrative buildings and schools is a step that not only means waving the flag, but also represents a public expression of appreciation for Sorbian culture. Where the journey leads remains exciting. The discussions about these topics have shown that citizens are interested in their city and its culture and want to get actively involved.