News

News from the National Association of Adult Education Centers in Saxony-Anhalt

International Literacy Day: Basic Education Opens Doors – Right in the Heart of Life

Understanding a letter from a government agency. Reading a work schedule. Booking a doctor’s appointment online. Checking an invoice. Interpreting the news and making an informed decision at the ballot box. What do all these things have in common? They require basic education—and almost always, literacy. For International Literacy Day on September 8, the State Association of Adult Education Centers in Saxony-Anhalt is highlighting an issue that affects millions of people yet often remains invisible in everyday life. According to the 2018 LEO study, 6.2 million German-speaking adults between the ages of 18 and 64—12.1 percent of this demographic—have low literacy skills. In Saxony-Anhalt, an estimated 200,000 people are affected. Many can read and write individual words or sentences but struggle with longer, coherent texts. Behind these numbers are people. Colleagues. Parents. Neighbors. Many are in the middle of their working lives, managing their daily routines with their own personal strategies.

People are standing shoulder to shoulder for democracy

Adult Education Centers Remain Reliable Pillars of Democracy

The outcome of the state election presents Saxony-Anhalt with significant political and social challenges. In this situation, the State Association of Adult Education Centers (Volkshochschulen) in Saxony-Anhalt, together with its member institutions, reaffirms its core identity and educational mission. The work of the adult education centers is fundamentally and unalterably based on the basic and human rights enshrined in the Basic Law and the State Constitution. Adult education centers are and will remain places of democratic education and encounter—open to everyone, regardless of age, social or ethnic background, religion or belief, gender, sexual and gender identity, or disability. The adult education centers in Saxony-Anhalt have a rich tradition. Many people know and trust them. Through their educational offerings, they contribute to the future viability of the state. They impart fundamental knowledge and skills as well as current and innovative expertise. They foster critical thinking, flexibility, and the ability to help shape social change.As a state association, we affirm: Adult education centers are politically neutral. However, their educational work is not value-neutral. It is guided by democracy and its fundamental values, such as human dignity, freedom, equality, solidarity, plurality, and tolerance. It stands for an education that empowers people rather than molding them, encourages constructive criticism rather than suppressing it, and views diversity as an enrichment rather than a threat.

Your voice has power.

Sometimes it can feel like there is nothing we can do to change things. The world seems to have become louder. Crises, conflicts, and uncertainty dominate the news. Decisions are made, events take their course - and we stand on the sidelines, wondering: what can I, as an individual, really achieve? The answer is: more than we sometimes believe. Because democracy does not mean we have to watch helplessly. Democracy gives us something precious: a voice. And that voice counts.

After is before: Strengthening democracy through solidarity in education and culture

What is needed now? Networking, dialogue, and solidarity! Shortly after the election in Saxony-Anhalt, we, as associations from the fields of education and culture, are hosting an online discussion.

Side-by-side comparisons of the AI-generated images

Across Saxony-Anhalt: A Democracy Tour with AI-Generated Images

Across Saxony-Anhalt: A Democracy Tour Powered by AI Imagery. Seven cities, station forecourts, adult education centers, churches, schools, a marketplace of ideas and countless conversations about politics. Over the past few days, we - representatives of accredited adult education and the IdemKI team - have been traveling across Saxony-Anhalt with Landtagswahl.ai. Our takeaway just before the state election: sometimes you don’t need another panel discussion; you just need an image that makes people stop and look. What happens when you don’t just summarize a party platform, but try to turn it into a picture of the future? We traveled across Saxony-Anhalt with this question ahead of the September 6th state election. In our luggage: AI-generated visualizations of the party platforms from the AfD, BSW, CDU, FDP, the Greens, the Left, and the SPD. Not as a voting recommendation. Not as a forecast. But as a rather unconventional way to start a conversation.

Minister Prien at the Magdeburg Basic Education Center

High-profile guests, key topics: Federal Minister Prien and Minister Riedel visit vhs Magdeburg

From reading and writing to AI: Federal Minister of Education Karin Prien visits the vhs Magdeburg. What does it take to be truly independent in everyday life today? Reading and writing are essential, but so are smartphones, digital applications, and, increasingly, artificial intelligence. During a visit by Federal Minister of Education Karin Prien and Saxony-Anhalt’s Minister of Education Jan Riedel to the Magdeburg Municipal Adult Education Center (vhs), it became clear that basic education is evolving—and becoming more important than ever.On August 28, Federal Minister of Education Karin Prien and Saxony-Anhalt’s Minister of Education Jan Riedel visited the Magdeburg Municipal Adult Education Center and its affiliated Basic Education Center. The focus was on literacy and basic education, digital skills, and the question of how adult education can continue to reach people in a rapidly changing world.

Quick preview of the generated election program images

Exhibition and Dialogue: Hello AI – Who Should I Vote for in Saxony-Anhalt?

What happens when artificial intelligence doesn't just explain party manifestos, but translates them into images? The exhibition "Hello AI – Who Should I Vote for in Saxony-Anhalt?" visualizes political visions for the 2026 state election and invites you to explore, compare, and discuss.

Wall with a hole - view of the Brandenburg Gate

65 years since the Berlin Wall was built: Preserving memory - Defending freedom - Shaping the future

On August 13, 1961, construction of the Berlin Wall began. A border was drawn right through the heart of a vibrant city, separating families, friendships, and lives overnight. The Wall became the visible symbol of Germany's division and the lack of freedom in the GDR. It did not fall until November 9, 1989—more than 28 years later. To this day, the construction of the Wall serves as a reminder of the value of freedom, human rights, and democratic participation. Many people lost their lives attempting to escape, while others were arrested or forced to live for years separated from their loved ones. The exact number of fatalities at the Berlin Wall varies depending on the method of counting; the Federal Government cites more than 140 deaths in connection with escape attempts.

Congratulations to the Magdeburg Integration Network!

20 Years of the Magdeburg Integration Network: Shaping a Diverse Future Together

For 20 years, the state capital Magdeburg's integration network has been bringing together people, institutions, and organizations committed to integration, participation, and social cohesion. The anniversary provided an opportunity to look back on two successful decades while simultaneously looking ahead to the future.