The R!SE festival of IG Metall Jugend, which takes place from July 13th to 16th in Magdeburg’s Elbauenpark, sends a clear signal against the right.
Only two weeks later, the European federal party conference of the AfD will also take place in Magdeburg, against which civil society alliances, organizations such as IG Metall, but also private individuals are opposed.
A large photo campaign, in which the second chairwoman, Christiane Benner, and the chief treasurer of IG Metall, Jürgen Kerner, also took part, expressed solidarity with everyone who is organizing against the right-wing party on site.
“As a trade union, we have anti-fascism and anti-racism in our DNA,” explains Christiane Benner, second chairwoman of IG Metall. “. When our young metal workers go to work as ambassadors for democracy and a welcoming culture, everyone benefits.
With more than 200,000 members, IG Metall Jugend is the largest political youth organization in Germany. At the R!SE Festival, 1,500 active metalheads meet for an extensive program of live concerts, workshops, discussions and exchange opportunities with initiatives, party youth and other youth organizations. At the festival, IG Metall brings together youth and trainee representatives and activists from the companies after the low-contact Corona period.
Topics such as securing training, shaping the transformation, combating climate change and the fight against the law characterize the program. The increasingly difficult situation on the training market was also the focus of debates and workshops at the festival. The complaints of employers that they cannot find any trainees, while there are 2.6 million people between 19 and 35 in Germany without a vocational qualification (Berufsbildungsbericht 2023), illustrates the problem.
“We have to get started in training,” Christiane Benner made clear. “School-leavers must be accompanied on their way to work. In times of a shortage of skilled workers and transformation, we cannot stand idly by while apprenticeships remain unfilled.”
Further information: The R!SE festival of the IG Metall Jugend will take place from July 13th to 16th in Magdeburg’s Elbauenpark. All IG Metall members under the age of 35 can take part.