Jena in Europe

The European Association of Napoleonic Cities is an association of European cities whose history was shaped by Napoleon Bonaparte. Jena is a founding member and took over the German vice-presidency in the founding year 2004.

Goals & tasks

The European Association of Napoleon Cities arose from the desire of various European cities to present their common historical heritage in a European context and to promote exchange between the Napoleon cities.

The differentiated and intensive examination of European history and Napoleon's legacy is an important contribution to the common culture of the European people.

The activities of the association of cities focus on three important fields of action:

• The promotion of academic exchange on the history of Napoleon through events, conferences and seminars as well as joint publications with universities, cultural institutions and history-related associations
• Supporting the preservation of cultural heritage, including through the restoration and renovation of monuments, memorials, objects, works of art and historical sites
• Activities to encourage the general public to engage with Napoleon's legacy through exhibitions, artistic events and voyages of discovery; in particular, school and university exchanges and tourism are promoted

Napoleon in Jena

From 2020, the Association of Napoleon Cities, the city of Jena and the Zeiss Planetarium Jena will provide an insight into the piece of world history that took place on our doorstep in 1806 at the Battle of Jena and Auerstedt.

The new show at the Zeiss Planetarium about Napoleon's invasion will be presented using modern full-dome technology and offers a mix of historical facts and technological special effects. The trailer for this spectacle can be found further down on the page - it's worth taking a look! The Zeiss Planetarium is an ideal starting point for a journey in the footsteps of Napoleon in Jena. Not far from Jena, northwest of Jena on the Windknollen, is the Napoleon Stone and thus the starting point for the battle of over 200 years ago.

Similar projects in cinemas or planetariums are also to be realized in other Napoleon cities, so that Jena - as so often - serves as a pioneer for modern and creative innovations.

The cooperation network of European medium-sized towns was founded on 22.09.1995 on the initiative of the city of St. Pölten. St. Pölten is the provincial capital of Lower Austria and is also home to the coordination office of the European medium-sized cities.

The founding members were St. Pölten, Innsbruck, Passau, Bolzano, Maribor, Székesfehérvar, Ceske Budejovice, Trnava, Brno and our Jena. Today, the network has 34 members from 13 European countries, including Germany, France, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia and Albania.

The European Network of Medium-Sized Cities is a loosely organized association of medium-sized European cities and represents the interests of its members vis-à-vis the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, the International Association of Municipalities and the International Union of Mayors. Intermunicipal cooperation between the cities is promoted and expanded at the working meetings that take place twice a year. At the meeting in St. Pölten in April 2016, for example, the cities' public relations work and, in particular, their online presences were discussed.

The European Energy Award (EEA) is a European qualitymanagement system and certification procedure that enables a process-oriented energy policy in the municipality. It arose from the desire for a holistic, implementation-oriented management system for municipal energy work. Today, more than 1,500 cities in eleven countries are involved, 329 of them in Germany. Over 780 municipalities have already received the Energy Award.

Our city of Jena also took part in the European Energy Award from 2005 to 2017. During this time, the city's energy team drew up energy policy work programs. The most important projects were the green electricity provided by the municipal utilities, the Jena climate adaptation strategy, the "Step by Step" campaign, the school renovation program, the founding of the "BürgerEnergie Jena eG" citizens' energy cooperative, the Illmnitz open-space photovoltaic plant and the energy self-sufficient Jena central sewage treatment plant. The city of Jena was awarded the European Energy Award in Gold three times for its commitment to climate protection.

In 2017, the EEA process was completed after 12 years. An integrated sustainability strategy in the context of the 2030 Agenda is now to be developed with the"Globally Sustainable Municipality Thuringia" project. The city of Jena is being supported and accompanied by "Zukunftsfähiges Thüringen e. V.", the project's sponsor. The organizational structures created in the EEA process will be used.

More information on the European Energy Award, detailed project descriptions or download documents can be found on the"Step by step - for more sustainability" page.

The European network of symphony orchestras"ONE - an Orchestra Network for Europe" was founded in 2003.

Its purpose is to promote the European idea through the international exchange of musicians, artists and conductors and to stimulate intercultural dialog with the help of workshops and exchange projects between pupils and students. There are also the "ONE® Young Artist Competitions" for young soloists.

Since 2005,"ONE" has received funding from the European Commission in Brussels as part of the European cultural and creative programs.

The following orchestras are currently members of the network:

• Orchestre de Picardie - France
• Jena Philharmonic Orchestra - Germany
• Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina - Slovakia
• RTV Symphony Orchestra Ljubljana - Slovenia
• Filharmonia Śląska Katowice - Poland
• Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra Zlín - Czech Republic
• New Symphony Orchestra Sofia - Bulgaria
• University of Creative Arts - Great Britain

Between July 2015 and March 2019, the musicians will realize around 40 projects together. An overview of current and future projects with photos and videos can be found on the official website of the ONE orchestra network.

The Jena Philharmonic Orchestra is the only German member of the ONE Orchestra Network. The musicians have already performed at the Alte Oper Frankfurt, the Cologne Philharmonie, the Konzerthaus Berlin and the Tonhalle Zurich. The Jena Philharmonic Orchestra has also delighted audiences in France, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Armenia and China.

In cooperation with the German Music Council, the orchestra promotes the next generation of international conductors and offers an extensive music education program. The Jena Philharmonic has also been a partner of the Franz Liszt School of Music in Weimar for over 50 years.

The project "Citizen Participation for EUROPE - Actively Shaping European Elections and the Future of Europe" was funded with support from the European Union as part of the "Europe for Citizens" program. The association Recht in Europa e.V. concluded the project with an event in September 2019 and the final work in October 2019. The summary of all events and the resulting impulse paper can be found under 'Downloads'.

Event venues

1. the first international conference in October 2018 will be held in Mechelen. As local elections will take place in Belgium in October '18, this event will be held in a climate of self-efficacy. It will be accompanied by radio and street events (surveys). Workshops will be held in each partner city, the content of which will be incorporated into this conference.

2) Athens (the cradle of democracy) is particularly synonymous with Euroscepticism due to the cuts in the lives of its citizens. This is why the second international conference will take place there in May '19 in the Cultural Center. This conference will also be prepared with workshops in all partner cities.

The 3rd International Conference will also take place in Pleven directly before the European Parliament elections in 2019. In this Eastern European twin city, the focus will be on recent experiences with civic and electoral participation. With its accompanying events (radio campaign, interviews and actions on the streets), WAHL will contribute to the formation of a European identity with respect and cultural and linguistic diversity.

4. the fourth international conference will be held in Jena in September '19 (International Day of Democracy). Jena is one of 40 cities in Germany to take on a pioneering role and establish guidelines for citizen participation. Workshops in the partner cities are helping to prepare the conference. The conference will be accompanied by radio and street activities and will adopt an impulse paper for opportunities for citizen participation. This will be disseminated via the networks of all partners in Europe and provide suggestions for a "Europe for and with citizens".

In Mechelen/Bonheiden, Athens, Pleven and Jena, public meeting places (such as the Ratsdiele Jena), the streets (for interviews and surveys) as well as information and exchange via radio will contribute to the implementation of WAHL.

Objectives

With WAHL, the decision-making processes at municipal, national and European level are put up for discussion. Knowledge about decisions at EU level and about different forms of citizen participation will be improved. Citizen participation is a key factor for Europe's future viability. The free and democratic basic order and the values that make up Europe are currently at risk due to nationalist tendencies and populism as well as rising anti-Semitic slogans and even hopeful racism.

This makes it all the more important for citizens to be actively involved in shaping democracy. The development and formation of national and European identity are goals of WAHL. The four international conferences in Mechelen, Pleven, Athens and Jena give WAHL both a transnational and local dimension. These conferences will be accompanied by street activities, citizen surveys, online activities and radio campaigns. In this way, non-voters and Eurosceptics in particular are addressed.

The international conferences represent an intercultural dialog. They bring cultural and linguistic diversity to life and contribute to tolerance, understanding and European identity. They are dedicated to topics that are particularly topical in each partner city - with a focus on local elections on the one hand and the forthcoming European elections on the other. The International Conferences will provide opportunities for all citizens to express themselves and to put forward their ideas and wishes. The debates, with their publicity effect, will motivate citizens to assume their responsibility through civic and electoral participation.

In totalitarian regimes, freedom and civic participation had no value. This makes the exchange at the events in Eastern Europe all the more important. WAHL will achieve a sense of belonging to the EU through its activities.

Project partners

• EACEA: Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency
• Law in Europe e. V.
• City of Jena
• Sambucusforum Belgium
• City of Mechelen
• City of Pleven
• Educommart
• Municipality of Kifissia

More information about the project, detailed project descriptions or download documents can be found on the"We Will Vote" project page.

The project "Overcoming New Walls - Shaping the Future of Europe" is funded by the European Union as part of the "Europe for Citizens" program. The association Recht in Europa e. V. is the coordinating partner.

Summary of the project

Europe's history has an important milestone: the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9.11.1989. 30 years on, freedom and human rights, democracy and the rule of law cannot be taken for granted. "Only" 42% of the population in Thuringia consider democracy to be the best form of government (Allenbach). With its activities, MAUERN therefore wants to actively involve citizens, listen to their disappointments, hear their skepticism towards Europe and inspire them for Europe: with young citizens in schools, with students, with contemporary witnesses of that time and with political representatives.

The international conferences in Jena, Granada (ES), Izola (SI) and Timisoara (RO) are designed to increase citizens' understanding of the EU and the different histories of its member states and to break down "New Walls". In each city, the activities and, above all, the debates will have different emphases. In Jena, the shift to the right will be addressed, in Granada the question of "independence" of individual regions and states, in Izola the "NEW WALL" and racism and in the European Capital of Culture 2021 Timisoara, the "New Wall" of corruption in Romania will be on the agenda.

Essay workshops enable citizens to name their "walls" and write their "visions" of their Europe (innovative method). The experience installation with its diverse activities offers contemporary witness talks and citizen dialog with the mayors in public places. The Monday demos also encourage people to actively participate in Europe today.

The topics of populism, racism and xenophobia are debated at the conferences. It is about shaping the future of Europe. Young citizens (via schools) prepare and actively lead these debates. Democracy and freedom had no value in totalitarian regimes. This makes the exchange at MAUERN in Eastern Europe all the more important. MAUERN will lead the intercultural dialog in its activities. An impulse paper will summarize the citizens' wishes for the politicians.

Events

• 05.11.2019 to 08.11.2019 in Jena (see flyer under Downloads)
• 29.04. to 03.05.2020 in Granada
• 20.10. to 23.10.2021 in Granada
• 04.04. to 07.04.2022 in Izola
• 03.05. to 06.05. 2022 in Timisoara

Project partner

• Law in Europe e. V.
• Poklicni center obala, Izola
• AIFED, Granada
• FRG, Timisoara

More information on the project, detailed project descriptions or download documents can be found on the"Overcoming new walls" project page.

The "CITIZENS" project is an innovative initiative that aims to strengthen civic participation in Europe, particularly in relation to the key challenges facing Europe: democracy, migration, gender equality and European identity. The association Recht in Europa e. V. is the coordinating partner.

Logo vom Projekt "BÜRGER"

© Recht in Europa e. V.

Summary of the project

The establishment of citizens' councils in five European cities - Izola(Slovenia), Jena, Timisoara (Romania), Kifissia (Greece), Brovary (Ukraine, twin city of Jena) - will create a platform on which citizens from different social, cultural and demographic contexts can discuss current challenges together and develop collective perspectives for the future. These citizens' councils act as forums for participatory discussions and working groups in which citizens are actively involved in designing solutions for the aforementioned topics.

The methodological procedure is based on a bottom-up approach, which serves to incorporate the voices and ideas of citizens directly into political decision-making processes. The citizens' councils regularly hold topic-related discussions and organize citizen surveys in order to gather the opinions and perspectives of a broad population base. The results of these discussions and surveys are consolidated in international meetings and discussions in which political decision-makers also participate. In this context, the findings are presented, discussed and summarized in the form of position papers, which are intended to serve as a basis for political measures and strategies.

The "CITIZENS" project contributes to the promotion of democracy, equality and inclusion in Europe, providing significant support to key EU initiatives such as the European Democracy Action Plan, the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy and the EU Action Plans on Racism and Citizenship. By creating an inclusive and participatory political discourse, the project makes an important contribution to strengthening democratic governance in Europe and realizing the overarching goals of the European Union.

Events

• 22.05.2025 in Izola
• 04.06. to 06.09.2025 in Jena
• May 2026 in Timisoara
• September 2026 in Kifissia
• November 2026 in Brovary

Project partner

• Law in Europe e. V.

More information about the project, detailed project descriptions or download documents can be found on the"BÜRGER" project page.