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Young people shape Schwabach: Graffiti campaign for Les Sables!
Find out more about youth participation in Schwabach and mayoral candidate Peter Reiß's plans for urban development.
Young people shape Schwabach: Graffiti campaign for Les Sables!
Something is happening in Schwabach! Eagerly and with a lot of creativity, it's time to go to the walls: young people from Schwabach have teamed up with a group of committed artists to design the graffiti project that expresses their friendship with the French twin town of Les Sables d'Olonne. Mayor Peter Reiß, the 29-year-old SPD candidate, proudly stood with the young artists Finnja Lenzer, Lilly Schmidt and Lisa Metscher in front of the colorful work of art, which is intended to further strengthen the existing friendly ties between the cities. The partnership committee, represented by Robert van Loosen, was also present at the event and was enthusiastic about the young people's commitment. Julia Palacios Montiel, who provides active support in the area of youth work, was also on site and emphasized the importance of such projects for the community.
But who is this Peter Reiß anyway? Growing up in Schwabach, he not only graduated from high school there, but also put down his roots. After a career as a self-employed lawyer, he now works as a fully qualified lawyer and government councilor for the government of Middle Franconia. His focus is, among other things, on nature conservation law, but his ambitions go far beyond that. In the 2020 local elections he ran as a candidate for mayor. His focus? Citizen participation on an equal footing, the creation of affordable housing and the development of the inner-city economy - keywords that are important for many Schwabachers. He attributes the criticism of previous citizen participation, which he sees as ineffective, partly to a lack of discussion. This is where he wants to start and encourages citizens to actively express their opinions and complaints.
Focus on youth participation
Particular attention is paid to young people. Peter Reiß has already initiated numerous measures to promote youth participation. Youth conferences and online participation are just a few examples of how he wants to strengthen the voice of the young generation in Schwabach. According to his ideas, a separate department for citizen participation should be created in the city, which will be directly under his leadership. “Citizen participation must be a matter for the boss,” says Reiß.
But it's not just adults who are in demand, young people are also showing how it's done in the graffiti project. With their lively designs and commitment to innovative design of their environment, they contribute to strengthening the sense of community in Schwabach. Under the guidance of experienced artists, they set creative accents in the city.
The successful event not only promoted the expression of art, but at the same time initiated dialogue between generations and cultures. The perspective of young people, coupled with the experience of older generations, makes it possible to make Schwabach even more livable. An example of how creative projects can connect not only walls, but also hearts.
We can’t wait to see how the collaboration with Les Sables d’Olonne will develop and whether there will be more such initiatives in the future. So Schwabach stays on track – creative, active and full of joie de vivre!