The project supports the development of a religion-sensitive culture of integration among and between locals and migrants in the district of Görlitz by stimulating and organizing (inter-)religious communication, education and experience processes. The focus is on mutual communication and learning by and between atheists and believers of heterogeneous religions/denominations through the conceptualization, planning and implementation of dialogical educational formats and modules in the sense of a pilot project. This enables and promotes the desired networking of actors in the field of action (social integration and the role of religion).
The eastern part of Saxony will have to deal with multiple challenges of social integration, due to a problematic economic development and the significant migration from East Central Europe and the global south. The central position of religion in daily life and identity constructions of migrants from East Central Europe (for example from Poland, Czech Republic and Romania) and refugees (particularly from the Middle East) generate feelings such as alienation, anxiety, strangeness and foreignness – especially for people living in East Germany. Therefore, people from East Germany often consider religious practice and discourses as a significant barrier for a successful local social integration. However, problems of communication and integration can also be observed within and between different Christian denominations and other religious communities. A lack of knowledge and exchange is significant for both: religious and non-religious people.
The TRAWOS Institute at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences is responsible for the research project.
The project is funded by SMWK (Saxon State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism), within the national programme "integrative measures".
The project is co-financed by tax funds based on the budget decided by the members of the Saxon State Parliament.
The project is funded within the cooperation agreement between the country district Görlitz and the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences (HSZG).
This series of courses was developed in the project "Religion-sensitive integration culture in East Saxony" by the TRAWOS Institute of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences in cooperation with the vhs Görlitz e. V.
The flyer for the original planned course series (in March 2020) can be found here.
You can also find the events in our event overview.
Dipl.-Sozialwiss. Sînziana Schönfelder
