Holger Friedrich: Conversations about peace and change in Weimar!

Holger Friedrich: Conversations about peace and change in Weimar!

What is happening in the world of conflict negotiations today? An exciting event will take place at Ettersburg Castle near Weimar from 7 p.m. Holger Friedrich, the publisher of the Berliner Zeitung, together with the journalist Bernd Hilder, explores the question of how conflicts can be resolved non-violently. The livestream of the event is available on the Berliner Zeitung website, as Berliner Zeitung reports.

The focus of the conversation is the non-violent negotiation of conflicts in a rapidly changing world. Friedrich emphasizes that it is essential to create social conditions that enable conflict-free upheavals. In times in which traditional structures in politics and media have less and less influence, the need for a fairer sharing of resources and a say for emerging nations has not disappeared. According to Friedrich, East Germans do not see themselves as looking for strong authority or a dominant state. Rather, a healthy doubt about authorities shapes their experience of transformation and change.

The lessons from the past

The discussion also draws on the events of the peaceful revolution of 1989 in the GDR. This “turning point” ultimately led to the reunification of Germany on October 3, 1990. The process was characterized by citizen movements and a wide range of protests initiated by intellectuals and church-affiliated people. As the Federal Agency for Civic Education explains, terms like “We are the people!” and “peaceful revolution” were part of the social conflicts and helped to articulate the will for reunification.

The events of 1989 clearly showed that less violence and more dialogue are crucial to sustainably solving conflicts. The movements of GDR citizens, which stemmed from decades of pent-up discontent, sparked a wave of change. With the opening of the Wall on November 9, 1989, the power of the SED became questionable, so a large number of initiatives and protests paved the way for change.

Reflection on current issues

Friedrich's reference to dealing with traditional ways of thinking is interesting. In a time of change, media and political actors are called upon to actively deal with the risks and opportunities and to create new, positive images of the future. This theme also becomes clear in the connection to the supposed authorities that existed in the GDR. East Germans are freer in their thinking, which is not synonymous with extremism, emphasizes Friedrich and criticizes the danger of premature media conflicts.

The event at Ettersburg Castle will be an important step in bringing the lessons of the past into the current discussion. Therefore, events like this are essential to maintain dialogue about the need for peaceful conflict resolution and to keep the memory of the peaceful revolution alive. Anyone interested should definitely watch, and it is to be hoped that these topics will continue to find a place in public discussion.