There are many ideas for the future city, which improve urban life. To discuss these ideas with residents, to develop shared visions and to test these visions – are the main objectives of the contest „City of the Future“ organized by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The contest demonstrates that future cities are a community project: together with citizens, scientists, local politicians, business and administrative representatives, pre-selected cities, municipalities and districts elaborate integrated and sustainable visions. Based on the experiences from the peaceful revolution in 1989 and the thus emerged tradition of civic participation, the city of Leipzig develops the future image of a cosmopolitan, international and tolerant city. Through common understandings, a shared concept about an open-minded Leipzig can be created. For this reason the city initiate discussions with the urban society within the project Leipzig weiter denken

The Leibniz-Institut für Länderkunde (IfL) accompanied and supported this process as scientific partner. In the first phase of the contest, the IfL critically reviewed the development of the Vision 2030+ by citizens and the participating actors. This included:

• assistance in planning of expertises and in overall conceptualisation
• support for planned events
• scientific examination of expressed positions
• scientific documentation of events

Results/Publications

Leipzig 2030: scientific documentation of the opening Event

Leipzig - "Homeland for everybody? - Challenges for the communal life in our growing City" : MDR Sachsenspiegel