From September 14 to 20, 2025, the American Council on Germany hosted a Study Tour on Social Cohesion in Hannover and Magdeburg. Over the course of a week, participants engaged with political leaders, civil society organizations, and cultural institutions to examine how Germany is addressing challenges of migration, integration, threats to democracy, and community resilience. The program offered unique opportunities for dialogue, exchange, and first-hand insight into how local and regional actors are fostering inclusive societies.
The program brought together 22 participants from the United States and Germany, and is funded through the Transatlantic Program of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany through funds of the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE)
The tour began in Hannover, where participants were welcomed at City Hall by Deputy Mayor Thomas Hermann, Maimuna Davis, and Björn Schönfeld from the city’s Department of Social Participation. Discussions centered on WIR 2.0 – Migration and Participation in Hannover, as well as the city’s inclusive policies. Participants were excited by both the structure of this plan and the current internal, external, and project-based applications that have emerged so far, and were particularly impressed by the use of a steering group of experts, not just from the administration, but also from nonprofit migrant organizations and other members of civil society. Michael Schwarz from the city’s Department of Education acknowledged challenges the city has faced over the last several years, including the integration of 5,000 children into the school system because of the Ukraine war. He also introduced recent programs such as the “Bridges to Education” intercultural work initiative, transition to all-day schooling options at primary schools, and the “Rucksack Schule” program, which supports non-native German-speaking parents in best helping their children in the German education system.
At the Lower Saxony State Chancellery, Undine Wahl presented the initiative Niedersachsen packt an, highlighting the role of civic engagement in integration and the importance of taking preventative measures to avoid volunteer burnout, as well as efforts by the state to highlight success stories of integration, such as through the “Grünkohl mit Pita” podcast created by ACG alum Pinar Dogantekin.
Participants also visited the ZeitZentrum Zivilcourage, where they reflected on remembrance culture and civic courage through an interactive exhibition that followed the paths of various perpetrators, victims, and bystanders during the National Socialist Dictatorship in the city of Hannover.
On Monday evening, the group was joined by agricultural leaders Dr. Joern Ehlers (2017 ACG Agricultural Fellow), Holger Hennies, and Wibke Langehenke, who provided valuable insights into food security and the urban-rural divide.
Tuesday morning began with a discussion at the Volkswagen Stiftung with Dr. Nora Kottman, Cora Schaffert-Ziegenbalg, and Dr. Adelheid Wessler. As the largest research foundation in Germany, the team at the Stiftung described some of their new projects, which include “Transformational Knowledge on Democracies under Change – Transdisciplinary Perspectives.”
The group also received a tour of the Kargah e.V. facilities, an intercultural association for migration and refugee work, and had a further exchange over Persian tea with representatives from the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband Niedersachsen on grassroots integration work. Kargah was initially established after the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and has since grown to serve all migrant communities in Hannover.
Before departing Hannover, the cohort revisited the topic of social cohesion at the state level. At the Ministry of Science and Culture, participants heard from Moritz Dütemeyer, who spoke about the state’s strategy for internationalization and the challenges of recruiting skilled workers. Potential new sister city partnerships were discussed. Finally, the group was given a tour of the State Parliament.
On Wednesday afternoon, the cohort traveled to Magdeburg, where the focus shifted to Saxony-Anhalt’s approaches to social cohesion. Upon arriving in the city, the group was welcomed by ACG alumni Sandra Yvonne Stieger, Deputy Mayor for Economy, Tourism, and Regional Cooperation; Christian Kruse, Board Member of KONSUM “Optimal-Kauf” eG; and Jörg Boettcher, Head of Department of Economy, Tourism, and Regional Cooperation at a regional restaurant for dinner the first night.
Thursday morning began with a tour of the Moritzplatz Memorial, the grounds of the actual prison, which commemorates the more than 10,000 victims of political persecution who were imprisoned there by the East German secret police between 1945 and 1989.
The day continued with a meeting with Manja Lorenz, head of public relations for Auslandsgesellschaft Sachsen-Anhalt (AGSA), which serves as an umbrella organization for nearly 100 intercultural organizations based in Magdeburg that promote cultural exchange and social cohesion. The meeting was joined by board members of AGSA, including Gabriel Ruecker, who organizes the Christopher Street Day celebrations for Magdeburg.
That afternoon, the cohort was welcomed in the city hall by Dr. Ingo Gottschalk, Deputy Mayor for Social Affairs, Youth, and Health, who discussed recent challenges to Magdeburg, including Intel’s decision to cancel their investment into the city, which would have created some 3000 new jobs and the devastating Christmas market attack in December 2024 which killed six and injured hundreds. The city is left struggling to bring new life and economic investment in the wake of these significant events.
Marina Weidner, Vice Chair of the Advisory Council for Integration and Migration, joined the meeting to discuss the Council’s work with migration communities, ensuring the city government hears their voices. The delegation was notably impressed with the volunteer commitment of Ms. Weidner and the rest of the council.
The day ended with an enthusiastic welcome from none other than the Magdeburg Welcome Service, which acts as a centralized information center to answer or redirect questions related to everything from changing regulations and medical appointments to translation questions, university enrollment, and more.
Friday morning, the group visited Miteinander e.V., where Founder and Executive Director Pascal Begrich outlined efforts to strengthen democracy and counter extremism. The powerful discussion began with each of the 25 individuals in the room sharing personal examples of threats to democracy they had observed in their lives.
Later that day, a lively roundtable at the State Parliament of Saxony-Anhalt provided an opportunity for dialogue with state representatives across the political spectrum, covering issues such as immigration, misinformation, healthcare, workforce development, and more.
The study tour concluded with a wrap-up session filled with rich discussion. Cultural programming throughout the week, including shared meals representing a diverse array of cuisines ranging from Vietnamese to Turkish to Greek, reflecting the varied migrant landscape, and an intercultural concert featuring Abarra, created informal opportunities for exchange and reflection. By weaving together political, civic, cultural, and grassroots perspectives, the 2025 Study Tour provided participants with a multifaceted view of how Germany is cultivating social cohesion today.
This study tour was part of the American Council on Germany’s broader mission to strengthen German-American dialogue and foster mutual understanding on the most pressing social and political challenges of our time. The group will reconvene in the United States in December to explore similar issues on the other side of the Atlantic.