There is still no protective umbrella for non-formal education in Germany. Hopefully, this situation at the beginning of April 2020 is only a temporary one. Support is urgently needed so that the spectrum of educational institutions, associations, foundations and initiatives that have developed over decades can be preserved. The German civic education system (and related fields of work) is based on pluralism, independence and subsidiarity. It is therefore an essential source of democratic culture and civil society involvement, which we will urgently need after the crisis.
Unfortunately, the situation in our case sounds too familiar: Due to the coronavirus threat, all companies stopped providing services in March or adapted them to the current reality - for the sake of health protection and for the sake of solidarity with people who are particularly vulnerable to the virus. According to current information, educational institutions will be closed by the end of April. However, it is already clear that many projects will not take place long after this period and groups will still cancel their bookings.
Read more: Non-formal education in Germany still without a protective umbrella | Ole Jantschek
We have become participants and witnesses of an extraordinary experience. The global epidemic not only stopped us on the run and excluded from our daily activities, but also forced us to reflect and perhaps redefine our priorities.
It's understandable that we are afraid, especially of losing our health and work. The virus of fear is spreading faster than the coronavirus, fuelled by successive media news and uncertainty, which does not allow us to determine anything in the long term. We do not know how long the epidemic will last, it is hard to even imagine its effects. Thinking about them, it causes fear, sometimes anger and even aggression. All the more so, we should be sensitive to such states, we should notice them and stop them before they gain momentum. The worst is uncertainty - how long will it take?
Read more: How to prevent fears and the atomisation of society during a pandemic | Bishop Waldemar Pytel
Corona has affected the daily lives of each and every individual in the earth, including our pedagog Tabitha from Germany and our volunteers Seda from Turkey and Antonina from Russia, who have been staying in Krzyżowa Foundation for months. The following sentences will tell you their daily lifes and how they try to turn this challenging situation into a common good for the society and the foundation. Not to forget mentioning about the generous helps and supports of our other employees, we hope our stories bring you inspiration and strength towards the solidarity in these difficult times.
Read more: International volunteering in Krzyżowa during a pandemic - our wonderful girls have hands full of...
