Cultural bridge: from Dalry to Cologne
This summer, a new international exchange will link the Glenkens with Sülz in Cologne, Germany, exploring what keeps volunteers showing up and how shared spaces shape community life.
At first glance, Sülz and Dalry do not seem obvious partners. Sülz, a leafy and affluent neighbourhood in Cologne, is full of cafés, organic markets and toy shops. Dalry, by contrast, is a small Glenkens village where most people know one another by name. Yet both places share something quietly important; community spaces that belong to everyone, and volunteers who keep them alive.
Launching in Dalry this summer, the exchange is funded by the Cultural Bridge Fund, which supports non-profit organisations in the UK and Germany to connect, share knowledge and exchange practical approaches. The project will explore volunteering, civic participation and belonging across rural and urban settings.
In Dalry, that public life centres around places such as the Glenkens Community Centre and Dalry Town Hall. In Sülz, it centres on Sternplatz - 'Star Square' - a neighbourhood meeting place transformed from a neglected crossroads into a welcoming square with seating, flowers and a shared bookcase. That transformation was supported by Agora Köln, which works alongside cultural groups, activists and social organisations to strengthen citizen-led projects.
For this exchange, Agora Köln is partnering with UK charity People’s Voice Media, whose community reporting approach trains people to gather and share stories ethically and collaboratively. Participants will learn practical skills including interviewing fellow volunteers, recording audio and video, taking photographs and working with contributors to tell stories from the inside out.
The project will compare urban and rural experiences to explore what motivates people to get involved, what helps them stay involved and what barriers they face.
Photos above: Neighbours enjoying a shared meal at Sternplatz - 'Star Square' - in Cologne; the Sternplatz being refurbished; the shared bookcase.
As Agora Köln’s Gabi Linde explains: “It will give us a fabulous opportunity to continue our research into volunteering and dig deep into why civic participation matters to people.”
Alongside online meetings, three delegates from each community will visit the other in person, touring key sites and reflecting on how volunteering and civic participation appear in everyday life.
The Dalry strand will be based at the Glenkens Community Centre and begins with an introductory session on Wednesday 17th June, followed by community reporting training sessions on 24 June and 26 August, plus drop-in sessions will also run throughout the summer.
Anyone interested in taking part can contact Kath Peters at kath@peoplesvoicemedia.co.uk or 07811 957 578.
Find out more about People’s Voice Media and the Cultural Bridge Project atthe larger project at:
https://peoplesvoicemedia.co.uk/guten-tag-to-our-new-cultural-bridge-project/