A broad social alliance for digital participation
Digitalisation offers many opportunities, but currently nowhere near everybody can benefit from it: with the new “Digital for all” initiative, a broad social alliance is rising to this challenge.
The common goal is to promote digital participation. Everyone in Germany should be enabled to find their way around the digital environment with self-confidence and self-determination. A national Digital Day will explain digitalisation with numerous events and activities all over Germany, bring it to life, show ways to benefit from digital progress, and create space for controversial debates.
Digital Day takes place for the first time on 19 June 2020 and is to be held twice a year in future. As announced by the “Digital for all” initiative in Berlin, a prize for digital involvement is also going to be awarded on Digital Day. The alliance comprises 21 organisations in civil society, culture, business, and the public sector.
“Our aim is to prevent anyone from getting lost or feeling lost in the digital transformation. In a broad social alliance, municipalities want to rigorously counteract a digital split in society and strengthen social cohesion. After all, digital skills are elementary for our lives today”, says Burkhard Jung, president of the German association of cities and towns for the German federation of local central associations.
From the perspective of voluntary involvement, Petra Bentkämper, president of the German association of women in rural areas, added: “Digitalisation is also about social participation. For the digital transformation to be a success, it is our responsibility as a society to ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to help shape this process. On Digital Day, we will be putting every effort into ensuring that everyone of all ages in rural regions is made fit for the future.”
On the initiative of the 21 partners, events and activities are taking place all over Germany on Digital Day on 19 June 2020, including public lectures, discussions and debates, presentation of digital technologies in clubs and societies, in public authorities, and companies as well as the creation of a generous space for discourse on digitalisation through digital channels, too.
Author: Thea Payome
