8,400 people met across Germany on September 23, 2018 to engage in a face-to-face discussion. On the same day, an event took place under the patronage of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin.
11 national and regional media partners –
among them Tagesschau, Tagesspiegel, Süddeutsche Zeitung and Der Spiegel
– had called for participation in Deutschland Spricht (Germany Talks)
by embedding the sign-up widget on their websites. In the end, more than
22,000 participants registered.
The 4,200 pairs who met one other disagreed on a number of issues: on their attitude toward Donald Trump, on the importance of border controls, on banning cars from city centers and on the #MeToo movement.
On the day of Germany Talks, ZEIT ONLINE organized an event in Berlin under the patronage of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin. In his speech he pointed out the importance of establishing a new kind of debate culture, one based on mutual respect and the willingness to “leave behind old clichés and comfort zones.”
ZEIT ONLINE also hosted the very first #mct18 unconference, bringing together initiatives and projects from around the world that aim to overcome polarization in society.
