Statements

My sincere congratulations to the German Government for establishing a ‚Future Center for German Unity and European Transformation‘ to learn from past societal transformations for the upcoming ones. Creating a center where citizens, social scientists, geographers, historians and policymakers can learn from one another will make Jena an example for other places in the world.

What a pertinent and timely move of the German Government to establish a Future Center in Germany! I cannot think of a more fitting seat for this center than the historic city of Jena, where crucial initiatives linking the past and present with future challenges have found fertile soil to nurture ‘Global Understanding for Sustainability.’ With needed societal transformations ahead of us, it is a must to learn from the past. Our societies do not have the luxury to repeat avoidable mistakes. This understanding and the ethos of collaborative action that it has inspired is richly evident in the social and intellectual landscapes of Jena.

Jena – mit seinen exzellenten Wissenschaftseinrichtungen rund um die Universität Jena und den drei hervorragenden Leibniz-Instituten – ist für mich seit langem die „Brain City“ schlechthin. Daher unterstütze ich die Bewerbung Jenas um das „Zukunftszentrum Deutsche Einheit und Europäische Transformation“ von ganzem Herzen!

The example of the city of Jena, based on the experiences of its people and the knowledge derived of its institutions, can be used to establish culturally, transfer scientifically and learn socially what transformation means. The joint application of the city of Jena and Friedrich Schiller University is likely to have an impact beyond the city’s borders, into its surrounding area, and even on an European and international level.

Over the past ten years, Jena has become a distinguished place for historians from Central and Eastern Europe, as many of the most creative and productive ones flocked to the Imre-Kertész-Kolleg. They now form a wide network among the Kerteszonians in the region, whose first question to each other when they meet is: “Did you have an office in the JenTower or in the Prinzessinnen Schloss?”
Apart from Berlin, no other city in Germany during this period had such a profound and beneficial impact on the study of Central and Eastern Europe’s recent history as Jena – thanks to the Imre-Kertész-Kolleg.

Als Gewerkschafter würde ich es sehr begrüßen, wenn künftig ein Zukunftszentrum in Jena die vielfältigen Entwicklungen der sozialen Fragen seit 1989 und die historischen Konsequenzen daraus bearbeiten und für künftiges Handeln fruchtbar machen kann. Gerade die widersprüchliche Entwicklung der Region aus den Verwerfungen der neunziger Jahre hin zu einer wirtschaftlich erfolgreichen Kommune mit trotzdem andauernden sozialen Problemen und Konflikten macht Jena zum richtigen Ort für authentische Diskussionen und streitbare Debatten über die Zukunft. Schließlich lebt hier eine starke und traditionsreiche Zivilgesellschaft.

I am deeply convinced that Jena would be an ideal host city for the future Center for German Unity and European Transformation. It has been at the crux of fundamental geopolitical and social change in the German-speaking area as a city profoundly re-shaped by the post-1989 transformation and, one could say, as undoubtedly one of the success stories of the German reunification. But it is not only – or even primarily – Jena’s past that makes it eminently qualified to host the Center. This is a city firmly looking towards the future, especially through its excellent research and scholarly community focusing on the wider region of Central and Eastern Europe. Although not the largest nor the most important city in the East of Germany in terms of its economy or population, Jena’s unparalleled strength is that of building and fostering connections – connections between people, between institutions, between disciplines, and between countries. While being a fellow at the Imre Kertész Kolleg, I was impressed by the atmosphere of top-level academic excellence, by the boundless intellectual openness and curiosity, by the spirit of community and by the human warmth of the colleagues there. Needless to say, I associate these admirable qualities with this wonderful city, as a whole.

The Jena team of outstanding scientists across the disciplines with their literally global connections make Jena an outstanding choice to be the Future Center for German Unity and European Transformation

WeltRaum für alle! WeltRaum ist ein Begegnungsort für alte und neue Nachbarn, für Eingesessene und Zugewanderte, die sonst nicht in Kontakt kommen. Dieses Angebot, glauben wir, brauchen alle: zusammen Tee trinken, mit Fremden Gemeinsamkeiten entdecken und entwickeln. Das kann unsere Gesellschaft vielfältiger und solidarischer machen – eine der anstehenden Transformationen. Das Zukunftszentrum in Jena könnte Raum dafür bieten.

Jena offers the ideal location for such a center, because Jena is a place of transformation. Not only, but especially with regard to the time before and after 1989. The people here know how to tell their stories. Stories of the fall and rise of an entire city and region. Stories of work and innovation, of science and business. But also, of politically difficult times and of a strong civil society. In short, stories of a culture of ongoing transformation.

Jena is, without a doubt, one of the oldest and most respected German and European scientific and intellectual centers, whose hearth is the Friedrich-Schiller-University with its long and rich tradition. The University with its scientific centers and institutes continues to confirm its high place on the Europe’s scientific map also fulfilling all requirements in terms of organization the scienfic and generally highly qualified human resources.

In unserer Arbeit – wir begleiten Behörden in Transformationsprozessen – taucht immer wieder das Thema ostdeutsche Identität auf. Direkt oder indirekt, bewusst oder unbewusst zeigt sich: viele Menschen wollen zu diesem Aspekt gesehen und gehört werden. Und dies als Voraussetzung für Transformation und Einstellungswandel. Jena bietet dafür mit seinen starken Sozial- und Geisteswissenschaften hervorragende (Er-)Forschungsmöglichkeiten. Durch die starke Zivilgesellschaft vor Ort lässt sich Theorie und Praxis optimal verknüpfen.

Seven months that I spent in Jena had significant influence on my academic career. Apart the findings in my own research, during my stay in IKK I gained a new insight on current developments in different historiographies dealing with Central and Eastern Europe. I had an opportunity to meet numerous scholars from the region and to establish contacts which probably wouldn’t be established otherwise. To summarize it in a sentence – my stay in Jena was a very good experience, both professionally and privately.

I share the strong conviction that Jena is an outstanding candidate for the site of the Future Center for German Unity and European Transformation. As one of the former Imre Kertész Kolleg’s fellows I can attest to its unmatched effort inside Germany in fostering dialogue with Central and Eastern Europe, by integrating research agendas and fostering common visions of a democratic future across a Europe previously divided by an Iron Curtain. What distinguishes the Imre Kertész Kolleg from other similar German institutions is its extraordinary openness to outsiders, a genuine interest to hear and understand the voices of close and distant European neighbors, the ability to engage in a dialog where all parts feel they are on an equal footing, and its commitment to the betterment of our societies.

I would like to express my support for the proposed research centre in Jena. I believe there are several important reasons for it: The city with the university tradition lasting for four hundred belonged to one of the most important centres of education in former GDR and also one of important crystallization points of the east German dissident movement. Second, Jena played a key role during the peaceful revolution and became one of the significant meeting points for international historians specializing on modern history. Imre Kertesz Kolleg proved itself during the last decade as one of the most respected research centres in these fields, symbolizing not only the inter-German unity but also the Central European cooperation particularly with Poland.

Jena and its University share a very relevant legacy in the domains of the Humanities, namely philosophy, literature and education, as well as in sciences and technology. The role it has played in recent times, coordinating the International Year of Global Understanding and, later, the preparation of The Jena Declaration, are perfectly in line with such legacy and express its relevance for any initiative oriented towards sustainability.

Jena ist als lebendige Universitätsstadt in der Mitte Deutschlands und Europas der ideale Ort, um sich mit Transformationserfahrungen wissenschaftlich und kulturell auseinanderzusetzen. Hier treffen die Tradition einer internationalen und interdisziplinären Transformationsforschung, eine lebendige Zivilgesellschaft und eine Stadt mit vielfältigen Umbruchserfahrungen aufeinander. Daher unterstütze ich die Bewerbung Jenas für das ‚Zukunftszentrum für Europäische Transformation und Deutsche Einheit.

It seems to me that Jena and the Friedrich Schiller University offer an ideal combination of assets for the kind of Center the German government intends to create. The University’s long and fruitful history of leading transformative research and its socio-cultural applications applications will give Jena’s application great strength in the competition.

It is impressive to see that the German government intends to establish ‚Future Center for Germany Unity and European Transformation‘. Think Thank Lituania fully supports Jena‘s application and wish greatest success.

Warum Jena? Jena war als Forschungs- und Wissensort das bürgerliche Pendent zum schöngeistigen und aristokratischen Weimar. Jena war schon vor der Gründung der DDR ein Ort wissenschaftlichen und unternehmerischen Gründergeistes und ist eine Stadt mit einer einzigartigen Infrastruktur aus edukativen, produzierenden und forschenden Netzwerken. Jena ist der Standort von Pionierfirmen wie Carl Zeiss und Schott, die Deutsche Industriegeschichte geschrieben haben und somit ein geschichtsträchtiger Innovationsstandort und Innovation funktioniert nicht ohne Transformation.

Jena has also seen important societal transformations in the last half century. At the time at which dictatorship was brought to an end, the city and the area around it have rapidly undergone major changes in domains such as education, philosophy, humanities and the sciences as well as in ecology, sustainability, and civil engagement. As a result, Jena is highly ranked in terms of societal transformations. A few years ago, the International Year of Global Understanding, which has been coined here, had an outstanding impact around the globe. Jena’s impressive potential for meeting future challenges is also grounded in its impressive social scientific research on global transformations, such as climate and energy changes, and in its transformation-relevant research institutes, including Max Planck and Fraunhofer.

Ich unterstütze die Bewerbung Jenas als Sitz des ZET in Erinnerung an die Jenaer Opposition 1976-1983 und an den Aufbruch von 1989/90 in der Stadt. Die damalige Unerschrockenheit, Offenheit und die Freude an Veränderung führte auch zu einem respektvolleren, demokratischeren Umgang mit Kindern und Jugendlichen. Diese Erfahrung ist heute wichtig, um jungen Menschen mehr Gehör und Mitbestimmung in Institutionen zu verschaffen – zum Beispiel mithilfe eines ZET.

The National Library of Lithuania fully supports Jena’s application to host a ‚Future Center for Germany Unity and European Transformation‘ an wish greatest success. The City and the University’s legacy in education, philosophy, humanities and science as well as ecology and civil engagement have an impressive potential for future challenges.

Today, perhaps more than at any time in modern history, peoples throughout the world must contribute individually and collectively to the societal transformation that is necessary to achieve a sustainable future for the planet. I believe that given its legacy of transformative contributions in education, philosophy, science and ecology, Jena is uniquely placed to provide the necessary inspiration for such radical change and thus it is also the ideal location for the Future Center.

Jena has a long-established international reputation as a major center of scholarship in the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. The university is thus especially well positioned to take this center under its wing and to foster the imaginative and innovative thinking that is so urgently needed in dealing with the dilemmas of our times, from climate change and pandemic outbreaks to world-wide digitalization and the challenges of war and peace.

Jena ist als Standort für das künftige ZET ideal, weil es in einzigartiger Weise Bürgerengagement, Bildungsinitiativen und universitäre Spitzenforschung verbindet. Stadt, Universität und Wirtschaft sind gelungene Beispiele für die Deutschen Einheit und den europäischen Transformationsprozess. Daher unterstütze ich beherzt die Bewerbung Jenas um das ZET.

Transformation is now vital for our collective futures. In view of the great challenges of our time – for example, in the areas of digitization, climate change, environmental justice, sustainability, health or inclusion, it is important to derive key necessary insights from the transformation experiences and competencies gathered here and elsewhere, to develop new approaches and to communicate them in a truly effective manner.

Die Stadt Jena bewirbt sich gemeinsam mit der Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena um die Ansiedlung eines „Zukunftszentrums für Europäische Transformation und Deutsche Einheit“ (ZET). Der Senat der Universität unterstützt diese Bewerbung einstimmig und mit Nachdruck. Aufgrund der in Jena vorhandenen Transformationserfahrungen sowie vor dem Hintergrund der in Jena stark ausgeprägten Verbindung von Wissenschaft, Gesellschaft und Kultur ist Jena für die Ansiedlung des Zentrums in besonders hohem Maße geeignet. Der Senat sieht in Jena beste Voraussetzungen zur Etablierung eines Zukunftszentrums, welches die Umbrüche und Frakturen im östlichen Europa vor und nach 1989–1991 erlebbar werden lässt und in dem sie offen und kontrovers diskutiert werden.

Jena bietet für ein Zukunftszentrum Europäische Transformation die besten Voraussetzungen: Exzellente Wissenschaft, große Erfahrung in geschichtskultureller Vermittlungsarbeit und eine lebendige Zivilgesellschaft.

Historically, ever since the late nineteenth century, Jena with its University had acted as focus of exchange between not only German and East European students and intellectuals. It cherishes a long tradition of cultivating, even in most dire times, intraregional communication between Central and East European students, whose home countries were often embroiled in political disputes and confrontation. It had thus served as a venue of intellectual interaction undergirding plans for ‘European transformation’ long before they came to the fore of the EU agenda. In more recent times, the Imre Kertész Kolleg has kept this tradition alive by nurturing comprehensive expert knowledge of Central and Eastern Europe and instigating cross-national research in this area. I can barely think of a historical place more qualified to host an institution focused on the East-West European transformation.

As President of the International Geographical Union (IGU), I am delighted that the University and city of Jena is making an application to host the highly significant „Future Center for European Transformation and German Unity“. The center promises to offer citizens, researchers, and policy-makers alike a wonderful opportunity to engage in science, culture and communication with a view to advancing social transformation. Jena, without doubt, presents an ideal location for such a center as it has a fine record of harnessing partnerships to promote science as well as in policy and has historically been a place of transformation.

Ich finde das ZET für Jena so verlockend, weil es unserer kleinen Großstadt die Chance des Balancehaltens schenkt: Zwischen kultureller Offenheit, inspirierender Internationalisierung und paradiesischer Provinzialität. Außerdem bekommen wir die einmalige Gelegenheit, das Zentrum der Stadt für die Zukunft neu zu denken und miteinander zu gestalten.

It is great to hear that the City and the University of Jena have decided to apply for this significant project. Apart from its unique historical background, as an exceptional site for the development of science, culture, and policy, Jena is home to two salient institutions namely, The UNESCO Chair on Global Understanding for Sustainability (occupant: Prof. Dr. Benno Werlen) and The Jena Declaration with which my agencies and institutes have had the chance to collaborate recently and pave the way for a joint future project touching on local, regional and global sustainable development from the perspective of intangible cultural heritage

Wir sind davon überzeugt, dass Jena und seine Bürger:innen sowie das Umland von Erfahrungen berichten können, die noch heute für die Reflexion unserer Zeit und für den Austausch über die Gestaltung der Zukunft relevant sind und wir freuen uns, als Kunstschaffende mit dem Bewerberteam der Stadt Jena für das Zukunftszentrum zu kooperieren.

The World Capital Institute would enable a fruitful cooperation with a wide network of knowledge cities around the planet for the whole span of the centre`s activities. In this spirit, we would very much welcome if it Jena, as a place where such considerations coinciding with our institute are being made, were to be awarded the contract for the planned Future Institue and we could thus be part of the party in this future institution.

Das Zukunftszentrum wird Jena und sein Umland verändern. Jedoch soll die Stadt mit diesem kein weiteres Museum klassischen Stils erhalten. Dieses Signal haben uns die Bürgerinnen und Bürger deutlich vermittelt. Nicht zuletzt auch deshalb ist es unser Ansporn, einen von Innovationen geprägten Ort zu schaffen, der selbst stets wandelbar bleibt und sich immerfort verändern kann. Im Ergebnis wird ein inklusiver Raum entstehen, der es Menschen aus allen Ländern ermöglicht, sich einzulassen und dabei eine eigene Transformation zu erfahren. Jena bietet für ein solches Vorhaben die besten Voraussetzungen aller Bewerberstädte.

During my time as a fellow at the Imre Kertész Kolleg in Jena I discovered a unique community of scholars, a dynamic environment for the exchange and generation of new ideas. Living as we do in the shadow of conflict, the need for a deep understanding of the diversity of perspectives on the past and future of Europe has never been stronger.

Jena bietet u.a. mit Universität und den zu ihr gehörenden Institutionen nicht nur eine sehr geeignete Infrastruktur; darüber hinaus erzählen zwei hiesige Unternehmen von internationalem Rang eine ganz eigene Teilungs- und Wiedervereinigungsgeschichte, die zugleich typisch und besonders ist. Denn beide Unternehmen sind in der Besatzungszeit mit einem Kern von ostdeutschem Personal in den Westzonen neu gegründet worden und beide sind nach der Herstellung der deutschen Einheit wieder zusammengeführt worden. Insofern bietet der Standort Jena viel Anschauungsmaterial für politische, gesellschaftliche und wirtschaftliche Aspekte der Teilung, Erfolge und Probleme der Wiedervereinigung sowie auf zukünftige Perspektiven.

I am strongly in favor of an expanded conception of community centers—whether that community is local, national, or shaped by another meaningful definition. And so, I see the value in a Future Center for European Transformation and German Unity. In fact, I would like to see this model as replicable for Latin American Transformation and Unity, Sub-Saharan…and so on. But this effort must begin with one shining example, a model for the world. Of course, a German center should be centrally located within the current shape of Germany, and the current map of Europe. It should be based in a place with a long and distinguished academic history, and a place that has survived and thrived in the transition from 20th to 21st Century. I would prefer a place outside of the largest cities, where collaborators can do their work with sufficient facilities and fewer distractions than, say, Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt or Munich. I believe Jena, Germany is such a place.

In my view, Jena offers the ideal location for such a center, because Jena has proven many times, in science as well as in policy to be a place of transformation throughout its history. This is what matters now and in the future: In view of the great challenges of our time – for example, in the areas of digitization, climate change, ecological transformation, sustainability, global citizenship education, health or inclusion, it is important to derive the necessary insights from the transformation experiences and competencies gathered here and elsewhere, to develop new approaches and to communicate them in a broadly effective manner.

It is impressive to see that the German government intends to establish such a center as a place where citizens, scientists and policy makers can learn from one another. The international links already established through the remarkably successful IYGU projects suggests the prime position of the city of Jena and Friedrich Schiller University for this task.

Based on its remarkable legacy and the present perfect preconditions, I fully support Jena’s application to host the „Future Center for German Unity and European Transformation“ and wish the city the greatest success for the application and beyond.

With its legacy in education, philosophy, humanities, literature and arts, has somehow led a basis for such projects. With this, Jena is in my view the perfect location for such a center: As the point of origin of the Romantic Movement, it has already set a model for the integration of Arts and of Science with its implications for societal transformation and sustainability.

In this context, we welcome the news that the German Federal Government has convoked a call to submit candidacies to the seat of the Future Center for European Transformation and German Unity, and that the City of Jena has decided to apply to the call. We thank you for the information on this process of application and for inviting us to support the candidacy of Jena. Reflections about the future, as an instrument to co-create comprehensive responses to the complex and interconnected challenges of our world, is of course at the core of the mission of The Club of Rome since its very creation in 1968. This is why we salute the initiative taken by the German Federal Government and the candidacy of Jena in which you participate.