Online Lecture with Dr. Mirona Stanescu “Theaterpädagogik als Medium der Global Citizenship Education – Weltverantwortung auf der Bühne erproben“
Theatre pedagogy provides a unique space where global issues are not only discussed intellectually but also experienced and negotiated collectively. Within the framework of Global Citizenship Education (GCE), the aim is to empower individuals to see themselves as part of a global community, to take responsibility, and to act towards a fairer and more sustainable world. Theatre – as an art form grounded in empathy, collaboration, and imagination – offers powerful ways to explore these goals. In her lecture Dr- Stanescu examines how methods can make complex global realities tangible and relatable. Through practical examples, she illustrates how theatre-based learning engages mind, body, and emotions, encouraging participants to reflect critically while developing compassion and agency. The lecture was hold in German with translation. Materials and Recording will be uploaded here soon.
Video Creation Workshop: Storytelling, Editing & AI Tools with David Fichtner
In this two-part online workshop, filmmaker and media trainer David Fichtner introduced participants from across the Danube region and Europe to the essentials of creating impactful short videos — even with simple tools like a smartphone. In the sessions, David demonstrated: Participants not only received technical guidance, but also learned what truly matters in video creation: clarity, intention, and the ability to communicate meaning through images. If you want to learn how to turn your ideas into short, powerful videos, the workshop recording offers valuable insights and practical steps. Watch the workshop recording here: Download the presentation slides in all languages:
Online Lecture with Dr. Karen Glinert Carlson, “What has family story to do with civil engagement, democracy, and antiracism”
In her moving lecture, Dr. Karen Glinert Carlson uses her own family’s story to illustrate: If you want to learn what family story has to do with civil engagement, democracy, and antiracism, this lecture offers deep insights. Download the PowerPoint Presentation here:
Online Lecture with Prof. Dr. Marten Risius, “Fake News in the Political Discourse”
How can You distinguish Fake News from Facts? In this lecture, Prof. Dr. Marten Risius explains the different types of fake news and how we can distinguish facts from misinformation. He begins by clarifying key terms, then outlines the evolution of fake news with a focus on recent developments. The talk also addresses how fake news can be identified and highlights the particular challenges of dealing with it. The lecture concludes with a discussion session. If you want to gain a better understanding of how fake news arises, spreads and can be detected, this lecture offers valuable insights. Watch the lecture to learn how to deal with these challenges and identify fake news. Download the PowerPoint Presentation here: Download the Glossary of important words:
Online Lecture with Prof. Dr. Brigitte Geißel, “Democracy as Self-Government – Democratic Innovations by and with Citizens”
What does democracy look like between elections? In this lecture, Prof. Dr. Brigitte Geißel examines how well-designed citizen participation can make public decisions fairer, more informed, and more widely trusted. Drawing on research and real cases, the talk reviews practical formats such as citizens’ assemblies (by lot), participatory budgeting, future workshops, and digital platforms. It sets out what makes these processes effective: inclusive recruitment, clear and balanced background information, independent facilitation, sufficient time for deliberation, and—crucially—a binding connection to councils and administrations so results do not remain unimplemented. The lecture also addresses typical pitfalls: barriers to access, misinformation and polarization, participation fatigue, and symbolic processes without impact. It outlines straightforward remedies—targeted outreach and accessibility measures, fact-checking routines, transparent follow-up, and formal anchoring within existing institutions. If you want a clear, evidence-based overview of how communities can turn participation into implementable decisions, this talk provides a solid orientation and practical starting points.Watch the lecture to see where to begin, what to avoid, and how democratic innovation can complement representative politics in a serious and workable way. Download the PowerPoint Presentation here:
“Digital tools to strengthen communication between citizens from the Danube countries”
On the third and final day of the workshop, 24 July 2025, the results were presented and the project ended with a closing event. In the morning, all participants visited a class in school. Afterwards everyone met to show their filmed interviews to other students and exchange ideas in discussion rounds. The younger students asked questions about the sustainability goals and to the exchange students, while the teachers referred to their lessons and were interested in the project. After lunch, the last videos were finalized and some shortcomings were revised. In the early evening, the teachers, the ILEU e.V. team and the participants met with their German (host) families at Schubart Gymnasium Ulm. The participating students presented their interviews and shared their cultures with traditional dances and songs. In the end, Carmen Stadelhofer handed out the certificates. Furthermore, thank-you speeches were hold and small tokens of appreciation were exchanged.
Workshop: “Clips become a Story” with David Fichtner on the 23rd of July 2025
On the second day of the workshop, 23 July 2025, the edition of the rough cuts followed. At the beginning, external media expert David Fichtner introduced the apps ‘CapCut’ and ‘HeyGen’. He also explained different interview styles and presented various tools for cutting, editing, adding license-free music and improving sound quality. He also demonstrated the intelligence of AI by creating a realistic-looking avatar based on a real person and showing examples of its use on social networks. He emphasized the importance of always keeping a critical eye and the danger of fake news. While editing their own videos, the participants put theory into practice and got creative. The results are five interviews. Each of them is translated into Bulgarian, Ukrainian and German with matching subtitles. The interviews are three to five minutes long and represents the collaboration of the international interview groups. Presentation in English Presentation in German Video creation process and Link collection in German Video creation process and Link collection in German
„Digital tools to strengthen communication between citizens from the Danube countries” ViMA danube
On the day before the workshop, 21 July 2025, Marina Lebherz, a staff member at ILEU e.V., introduced the eighteen participants to the online platform ‘ViMA danube’. While playing a ViMA bingo, the pupils worked interactively with the exchange platform, wrote their own comments and added some input on the Actionbound-entry. This served as preparation for the workshop, a slow thematic introduction, as well as a basis for further promoting a joint dialogue on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Digital tools to strengthen communication between citizens from the Danube countries”
On the first day of the workshop, 22 July 2025, Sabine Geller introduced the participants to the topic of ‘storytelling techniques’ using the practical example of ‘Danube Confluence’. She explained how important it is to include detailed shots, to have a central theme in the interview as a point of orientation and to loosen up the content, for example with a funny question. The participants worked in five small groups and prepared their own interviews. Each group consisted of three to four people and represented the three nationalities. They researched their interview partners, collected person-specific questions and recorded some practice clips. The interviewees were Martin Ansbacher (Lord Mayor of Ulm), Carmen Stadelhofer (president of ILEU e.V.), Jana Pulli (federal volunteer from the Ulm Family Education Centre), Petra Schmitz (Managing Director of Local Agenda Ulm) and Helena Miller (member of ‘Die Grünen’ and Fridays for future). All of them are professionally or through their commitment connected to one or more SDGs, e.g. ‘4: Quality of education’ or ‘13: Climate action’. In the afternoon, the small groups interviewed their respective partners and shot close-ups of their workplaces. These recordings formed the basis for the next part of the workshop. Presentation in English Presentation in German
Chat GPT and Perplexity Qualification – Getting fit with AI
We extended a cordial invitation to our online training course “Introduction to Chat GPT” which took place on Monday, 28 April 2025, at 6:00 p.m. (CET). In this course, our colleague Gabriele Flemming explained the basics of using Chat GPT, a tool supported by artificial intelligence that could assist with many tasks—such as answering questions, translating, writing texts, learning, programming, and more. The course included information on how to use Chat GPT (e.g., how to create an account, the features of the free version, and the options and costs of the Pro version). It also covered ways it could be used in line with our project goals—such as researching participation opportunities, creating templates for letters, and translation. Additionally, the session provided information on possible alternatives to Chat GPT, such as Perplexity.