Stadt! Macht! Schule!

As part of the ‘Stadt! Macht! Schule!’ initiative, young people from Hamburg will be drafting a position paper on the ‘Mitte Altona’ urban development project by June 2013.  This collaborative project between the Hamburger Stiftung für Wirtschaftsethik and the Robert Bosch Stiftung will begin in mid-October 2012. The registration period has closed, but applications may still be considered for the waiting list.

‘Mitte Altona’ is the largest urban development project in Hamburg after Hafencity. The existing long-distance railway station, along with its associated track layout, is to be relocated in order to free up attractive building land in the heart of Altona. How should these areas be designed? Who should live there? How many green spaces are needed? How can the various expectations for the new district be balanced? We want to hear the views of young people from Altona on these matters.

In doing so, participants will also explore the long-term social dimensions of urban development. This is because Hamburg is at the centre of various social conflicts surrounding the influx of residents with high purchasing power and the exodus of those on lower incomes in certain neighbourhoods. At the heart of the debate are demands for affordable housing on the one hand, and economic interests on the other. However, such gentrification conflicts also centre on the preservation of listed buildings, quality of life through social diversity in neighbourhoods, and the protection of cultural heritage within a social space – a point repeatedly emphasised by opponents of gentrification. Counter-arguments often centre on the need for regeneration in a neighbourhood, as well as the economic and social spillover effects brought about by higher-income residents.

In the ‘Stadt! Power! School! young people from five schools are drawing up political demands for ‘Mitte Altona’. To enable them to form well-rounded opinions, they receive comprehensive training in political work under the guidance of external tutors, have the opportunity to exchange views with experts and stakeholders from ‘Mitte Altona’ and discuss their ideas with other Altona residents via an online process (‘Liquid Democracy’). In May/June 2013, the group will present its findings to politicians and the public.