Since 2019, “Partei ergreifen!” – our cooperation with the German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB) – has been an integral part of the Ruhrfestspiele. This year, we collaborate with scholarship holders from the Hans Böckler Foundation and young trade unionists from the region to shed light on the value of democratic participation. We want to find out why young people get involved in political and trade union work. What role can the trade union movement play in the fight against anti-democratic tendencies? We take a look at what it means for our society when democratic principles are increasingly perceived as an obstacle rather than a strength. Why is it worth fighting for democracy in a world where more and more people find it ‘too exhausting’, retreat into indifference and even accept authoritarian alternatives? Journalist and author Mareike Graepel will chair the event and draw attention to the challenges and opportunities of our democracy today. In cooperation with the Hans Böckler Foundation and the DGB Emscher-Lippe.