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Citizens’ festival at Steinmeier: “Volunteers are encouragers”
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbender have their photos taken with guests at the citizens’ festival. photo
© Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
The Federal President’s citizens’ festival has a tradition. Also that volunteers are invited. Many of this year’s guests are coming for the second time. There is a special reason for this.
“All of you here are role models. You are all encouragers,” said Steinmeier, according to the previously published speech manuscript. “They are all Germany. They represent the many who hold our country together every day. They are the strong backbone of our democracy.”
“I’m worried”
This festival does not take place at a normal time. Many people were worried, including him, said Steinmeier. “I worry because there are too many who badmouth our democracy and too few who engage in it. I worry about so much faintheartedness and despondency in our country – a country that is so much better than we are to admit to ourselves in everyday life.” And he is thinking above all of the many people who are committed to making our society a little better – “and who rarely receive applause for it, but are treated with hostility or attack.”
The Federal President and his wife Elke Büdenbender invited around 3,000 volunteers from all over Germany to the community festival. They wanted to honor their voluntary work in the service of society. Non-profit organizations, initiatives and companies provided information about their activities in the castle park. The range of voluntary commitments ranged from environmental and nature conservation to international youth work through to sport, education, social and cultural projects and inclusion.
“We need to shine even more light on all of these people who are doing their best for others,” said Steinmeier. The times are difficult and challenging. “But these are not times for retreat and isolation, for resentment and being bossy. It’s time for unity!” The Federal President called for people to reflect on Germany’s strengths: “Humanity, community spirit, tackling and confidence.
Second chance after storms
This year’s community festival was busier than usual. Last year’s guests were also among those invited. At that time, the festival had to be stopped before it had even started due to a storm. At the time, Steinmeier had promised the disappointed visitors that he would invite them back this year.
Thorsten Boomhuis from Nordhorn in Lower Saxony also got his second chance. Since the beginning of 2020, he has set up the “PingPongParkinson Germany” association, which, according to him, now has around 1,400 members nationwide. Table tennis can’t stop Parkinson’s, but it can slow it down, explained the 49-year-old. The fact that he received another invitation after last year’s disappointment was “of course great,” he said on Friday. “It’s quite an honor, but you didn’t necessarily have to do it.”
During last year’s downpour, Boomhuis received “a rush of water on his neck” from a tent roof. This risk did not exist now with the wonderful summer weather. Steinmeier said he was not a weather prophet. “But looking up, I dare to say: There won’t be any rain getting in the way of this community festival today.”