To be aware, to create a safe(r) space

We want to ensure an inclusive event where everyone feel welcome. In doing so, we explicitly position ourselves against anything that goes against the dignity of human beings and do not tolerate any form of discrimination. We therefore address our 6 principles and the following excerpts from our manifesto with an appeal to all people who move in our spaces, who move in public space in general! They should be a matter of course for respectful coexistence.

Our awareness work relies on the community as the final instance - and aims at its own abolition. We don't see ourselves as the henchmen of a legislative body, but want to raise awareness for the basic principles of emancipatory and solidary coexistence. We only succeed as long as everyone in our community wants to be mindful. And then also actively stand up for the values we have negotiated together.

We therefore not only have awareness teams at events, but also various educational and exchange formats that invite the entire community to engage with the topic of awareness.

We want to empower each other to be able to critically question our own statements and (omitted) actions - without being directly reproachful. We want to question authoritarian personal structures that jump particularly readily to prefabricated ideologies. Arguments and reflection instead of self-evidence and aggression!

1 Consensus / agreement in all interactions
Individual boundaries are respected: No always means no! And more importantly, only yes means yes!

2 Responsiveness of the awareness team
The awareness team is approachable at all times and ensures that it is perceived as such. We approach sensitively and with an open approach.

3 Compliance when awareness is called upon
We expect everyone* to actively listen to those who say they have been treated in an abusive way.

4 Solidarity & Partiality
The Awareness Team stands in solidarity with those affected by discriminatory acts and is partisan in the sense of the emancipatory claim of the event. In our Awareness Manifesto we list the structures of discrimination that we agree to recognise as such.

5 Tolerance of error
We meet each other with the assumption that we all make mistakes, and relate criticism to our behaviour, not our personalities. We want to own up to our mistakes - in the knowledge that discriminatory behaviour will never be tolerated.

6 Everyone shares responsibility
Conflicts that cannot be resolved by the Awareness Team are taken to the wider community. The awareness team moderates and supports the feelings of the person(s) suffering from a potentially discriminatory act.

Glossary

Explanation of difficult words

Awareness: Awareness is a term that emphasises the awareness and understanding of certain topics or problems.
It means that people are aware of, informed about and have an understanding of something.

Discrimination: Discrimination is when people are treated worse than other people because of their skin colour, origin, religion, gender, disability or other characteristics.
Discrimination is unfair and unjust. It can manifest itself in various forms, such as bullying, marginalisation, disadvantage or unequal treatment. Discrimination is not okay and everyone has the right to be treated equally, regardless of their characteristics or background.
It is important to recognise discrimination, stand up against it and stand up for an inclusive and fair society.

Ideology: Ideology is when people have certain beliefs, opinions or ideas that influence their thoughts and actions. An ideology can have a certain political, social or religious orientation and lead people to hold certain views or goals.
Ideologies can be different and different people or groups can have different ideologies. It is important to note that ideologies are not always objective or scientifically based, but often represent subjective beliefs. It is important to critically scrutinise and consider different perspectives in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of ideologies.

Diversity: Diversity means that people are different and have many different characteristics, traits or backgrounds. This includes, for example, skin colour, origin, religion/belief, gender, disability, age or sexual orientation.
Every person is unique and has the right to be accepted and respected for who they are. Understanding diversity as something positive means recognising, valuing and promoting diversity and treating people equally regardless of their differences.

Emancipation: Emancipation is when people who are dominated by others stand up for themselves and fight so that they are no longer dominated, but are free and equal in rights.
Emancipation means that people achieve self-determination and independence and free themselves from restrictions or dependencies in order to lead an equal and self-determined life.

Intersectionality: Intersectionality means that people have different characteristics or identities that are interlinked and can influence each other. These include, for example, skin colour, origin, gender, religion/belief, sexual orientation, disability or social class. Intersectionality emphasises that these characteristics cannot be viewed in isolation, but must be analysed in their combination and interaction.
The idea is that people can experience different forms of discrimination or disadvantage when several characteristics coincide in their identity. Intersectional approaches aim to recognise and understand the complexity of discrimination and injustice in order to promote social justice and inclusion for all people.

Reflect: Reflecting means thinking about something or making up your mind. It means thinking about your own thoughts, feelings, actions or experiences and talking or writing about them.
Reflecting can help you to better understand why you think, feel or do certain things and enables you to consciously engage with yourself and your environment. It can also help you to rethink your own actions and make changes where necessary.
Reflection can help you to get to know yourself better and make more conscious decisions.

Safer space: A 'safe space' is a place or space where people can feel safe and respected without fear of discrimination, marginalisation or attack. It is a place where people can speak openly about their feelings, opinions, identities or experiences without being judged or attacked.
In a 'safer space', all people should be respected, accepted and valued, regardless of their origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability or other characteristics. It is a place where diversity and inclusion are promoted and people are encouraged to express themselves and be themselves. At the same time, we are aware that we unfortunately cannot create 100% safe spaces in the current circumstances. Our aim is therefore to create safer spaces.

Solidarity: Solidarity means standing up for each other and supporting each other. It is the idea that people stand up together for a common goal or for the good of all. Solidarity involves empathy, compassion and understanding for the needs of other people. It means standing up for justice, rejecting discrimination and campaigning for social, political or economic changes that benefit all people.
Solidarity can be expressed in various forms, such as providing help, support, co-operation or joint activities to advocate for a better community or society.

Assault: An assault is when someone causes physical or emotional harm to another person or treats them in an inappropriate way. This can be physical violence, verbal violence, bullying, discrimination or harassment, for example. An assault violates a person's rights and dignity and can have a negative impact on their well-being and safety. Assault is unacceptable and should not be tolerated. It is important to recognise assaults, talk about them and take appropriate measures to stop them and protect those affected.