"Exploration of the Greifswald Future Council sparks intrigue - kindly provide your thoughts"
The city of Greifswald is embarking on an exciting journey towards shaping its future, with the launch of the "My Greifswald 2030" future council. This council, composed of 60 randomly selected members from various age groups, genders, and locations within the city, will discuss and decide on future urban development issues until 2028.
The University of Greifswald is scientifically accompanying the process, ensuring a well-informed and balanced discussion. The council's focus areas include the city centre, suburbs, and smaller neighbourhoods, reflecting the high interest and concern of the community in these areas.
The response to the initiative has been overwhelmingly positive. Within just two weeks, over 80 interested parties responded, expressing their desire to contribute to the city's development. However, due to the limited number of seats, not everyone who expressed interest could be selected.
Jonas Dietrich, the project leader, expressed his delight with the positive response, stating, "We are thrilled to see such a strong interest from our community. The enthusiasm and engagement of our citizens are crucial to shaping a sustainable and vibrant future for Greifswald."
To ensure a balanced representation, the city council is considering an additional selection process in areas where there is high interest but insufficient representation. The identities of the selected participants are not publicly disclosed at this time.
The city administration has reached out to 2,000 individuals, inviting them to participate in this unique opportunity. The deadline for responses is September 14, 2025. It's important to note that while some individuals who were not selected have expressed their interest to participate, the selection process is final, and no further applications can be considered.
The "My Greifswald 2030" future council is funded by the Robert Bosch Foundation, the federal program "Democracy Lives!", and the Vorpommern Fund. The members of the council will meet several times over the next few years to discuss and decide on the future developments of Greifswald, ensuring a community-led approach to urban planning.
Despite the success of the initiative so far, there is still a need for more responses from certain areas, such as Ladebow, the Ostseeviertel, and Groß Schönewalde. The city council encourages all interested parties from these areas to participate in this once-in-a-generation opportunity.
