More than ever, many actors are determined to use their forces and resources to develop an inclusive and democratic coexistence in residential quarters: Housing companies and their foundations, local governments, district management, social institutions and even civic education providers are becoming active in the districts in order to promote engagement, arts, culture, education, elderly and youth welfare and to strengthen social participation.

Many approaches are innovative and successful, reaching many residents. However, they are often not seen enough outside the quarters. In order to achieve sustainable and nationwide positive effects, promising strategies must be widely spread, based on professional and practical experience and scientifically sound. Vital networks are also indispensable for this, which contribute both to the pooling of resources and to the visualisation of successful neighbourhood work.

Together with our guest Christian Lieberknecht, Managing Director of the GdW - Bundesverband deutscher Wohnungs- und Immobilienunternehmen (Federal Association of German Housing and Real Estate Companies), we will discuss Labora lecture on which approaches and structures can be used to successfully design, present and purposefully evaluate district work.

His contribution is supplemented by short inputs from the studies and practical work of Minor and discussed in the circle of invited experts.

To our guest

Dr. Christian Lieberknecht holds a doctorate in economics and has been managing director of the GdW, the association of municipal, cooperative, church and private housing companies, for 21 years. There he is responsible, among other things, for the general representation of interests, the coordination of policy advice as well as the topics of urban development and equivalent living conditions. Dr. Lieberknecht is also a member of the Housing Commission of the German Association of Cities, the Executive Board of the Federal Association of Public Services and the Board of Trustees of the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research.

To the Labora Lectures

With the Labora lectures the Minor – Labora brings together experts from science, politics and practice in an intensive exchange on issues and social developments that affect the shaping of the future of our society. We aim at mutual learning on innovative ideas, methods and approaches to improve the situation of marginalized or disadvantaged groups. We welcome the guests with a special wine, other drinks and some food that accompanies the evening in the fireplace room. The Labora lectures are organised and implemented in cooperation with Minor – Project Kontor for Education and Research, Minor – Science Society and La Red – Networking and Integration. 

The Labora lectures It's called Chatham House Rules.