About Us

THINKWORK EAST

What we want.

The DWO is a civil society initiative that was founded in the new federal states as a non-profit association. It sees itself as an open platform for strengthening the understanding and experience of democracy. It wants to inspire, encourage and stimulate creativity in actively supporting the community of our society in a forward-looking manner in order to strengthen democratic institutions.

That is why the DWO brings together people who want to initiate and develop projects with an open, constructive attitude. The overarching goal of all activities is to promote cohesion and a fundamental sense of community in municipalities and regions in Germany and to reject political radicals.

In this sense, the DWO is a think and do tank that, although it has the East in its title, thinks and networks beyond the borders of the new federal states. This is because projects and ideas for strengthening communities and people who want to enrich their region directly and immediately with ideas are not tied to any particular direction. This is intended to create positive pressure on politicians to act and to show alternatives where there is often talk of no alternative.

The DWO therefore sees its practical work as interdisciplinary, regionally and internationally networked, non-partisan and future-oriented. The work as a concrete social practice is designed for the medium and long term.

With its current and future network, DenkWerkOst wants to attract partners such as foundations, companies or specific projects that are exemplary for the promotion of democracy and community, that advance regional development, are close to the citizens and represent future-oriented examples of the new federal states.

The DWO wants to make positive and forward-looking signs from the new federal states visible to a nationwide public, as well as people who act practically and set examples in concrete projects. The DWO will thus be part of the civil society network in Germany and will have a voice in public debates.

For the practical work of DenkWerkesOst, it is central to reconnecting ideas from civil society with business, local authorities and science.

It is therefore important to develop an academy in which municipal action is rethought. In which different actors work together in an interdisciplinary manner and help to sharpen the view of the variety of tasks in the future.

Democracy must be experienced and can only be brought to life in conjunction with civic action and an innovative administrative culture. Parties are building blocks and instruments of society, but they are not the only binding agents that hold society together.

The aim is to learn from each other and to benefit politically and creatively.