The first German-language Democracy Fitness Trainer Camp has just concluded in Freiburg, marking a historic leap for Democracy Fitness Global.
Hosted by Bildungswerk Mehr Demokratie at the picturesque Waldhof, this camp was a giant step forward for our global movement. Here’s why:
For the past nine years, all Democracy Fitness trainers were certified by Danish instructors in English. But Camp Freiburg changed the game this was the first camp primarily held in German, led by Andrea Adamopoulos and Alexander Trennheuser from our partner Mehr Demokratie e.V.. Together with the host team and 35 highly engaged participants, they proved that Democracy Fitness is not just a Danish phenomenon it’s a global toolkit for strengthening democracy, one muscle at a time.
“This is really happening… Democracy Fitness is now also Demokratie Fitness!”
And what a step it was! The energy in Freiburg was electric, as participants ranging from activists to educators dived into the 10 democracy muscles, ready to bring these tools back to their communities, workplaces, and even families. 35 new trainers are now certified to lead trainings in German, spreading the movement across Germany and beyond.
A Week of Firsts: Langenfeld Paves the Way
Just a week before Freiburg, another groundbreaking Trainer Camp took place in Langenfeld, hosted by our partners We Do Democracy and Heinrich Böll Stiftung NRW. This camp brought together a diverse group of 34 new trainers, each committed to embedding Democracy Fitness into their work – whether in schools, NGOs, or local government.
What’s Next?
With German instructors now in the pipeline, the possibilities are endless. Mehr Demokratie e.V. and Bildungswerk Mehr Demokratie are already planning more camps, and the new trainers are eager to host their own sessions in German, for German-speaking communities.
As Georg Feiner from Büro für Mitwirkung in Vienna would say: “Together we make democracy FIT – one muscle at a time.” And now, we’re doing it auf Deutsch too!
Congratulations to the Freiburg and Langenfeld communities – this is just the beginning. Japan 🇯🇵, Canada 🇨🇦, Austria 🇦🇹, Switzerland 🇨🇭, and beyond: Get ready. Democracy Fitness is coming your way!
