If everyone just thinks of themselves, does that really mean everyone is being taken care of?
Dresden is facing growing social issues: polarisation, rising living costs and unequal participation are straining social cohesion. Those particularly affected include people with a migration or refugee background, single parents, older people and low-income households. At the same time, there is a lack of places where people can actively live out a spirit of encounter, trust and solidarity.
This is where ‘Focus on Solidarity – closely connected’ comes in: the project creates low-threshold, multilingual activities that bring together people from different backgrounds and generations. Through discussions and creative workshops, dialogue, understanding and new forms of coexistence are encouraged. In this way, social divides are overcome and the seeds of a society based on solidarity in Dresden are sown.
Come to our events!
We invite you to discussions and creative workshops to raise awareness of solidarity and make solidarity in action more visible.
Discussion and meet-up sessions: ‘Thought Exchange’
In open discussion groups, people from different backgrounds come together to share personal experiences, values and perspectives. Stimuli such as readings or contributions from the local community kick off the discussion. Together, participants discuss topics such as living together, background and the future, and develop ideas for acts of solidarity in everyday life. The sessions are low-threshold, multilingual and based in local venues.
Creative sessions: ‘The connecting thread’
In creative workshops, participants reflect on their own experiences of solidarity and exclusion. Using photographs, textiles and embroidery, they create individual visual stories that bring personal perspectives to life. The creative process fosters dialogue, self-efficacy and a sense of belonging. The workshops are led by experienced artists and educators.
Documentation & Presentation
In this section, we publish the project’s findings and experiences. You’ll soon find articles, profiles and creative work here, all centred on stories of solidarity and inspiration for getting engaged in Dresden.
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Focus on Solidarity – closely connected
Discussions and creative workshops bring solidarity to everyday life and build new connections between people from very different life situations. The project strengthens cohesion, empathy and collective action within the urban community.
Period
06-12.2026
Project team
Nadine Wölk (project management)
Yulia Vishnichenko · Bela Álvarez (workshop leader)
Rosa Hauch · Rosa Brockelt · Birthe Mühlhoff · Yvonn Spauschus (moderation, documentation)
Cooperation partners
Familienzentrum Altstadt (Familie(n)leben e.V.) · Treffpunkt Prohlis (Malteser Hilfsdienste e.V.) · HAUS DER BRÜCKE · Kunstverein Dresden e.V. · STADTTEILHAUS JOHANNSTADT (Johannstädter Kulturtreff e.V.) · ABC-Tische im Albertinum (Umweltzentrum Dresden e.V.) · Kleingärtnerverein FLORA I e.V. · Montagscafé (Staatsschauspiel Dresden) · HY! (Deutsche Hygiene-Museum Dresden) · BÜLOWH Beratungs- und Begegnungszentrum für Seniorinnen und Senioren Dresden-Neustadt (Diakonie Dresden)
Supported by
The project is funded by Ostsächsische Sparkasse Dresden and the State Ministry for Social Affairs and Social Cohesion. This measure is co-financed with tax funds on the basis of the budget passed by the Saxon state parliament within the framework of the state programme Integrative Maßnahmen.
