#IchStehAuf is a nationwide civic action campaign and whole-school pedagogical initiative that mobilises secondary schools to take a visible public stance for democratic values, human rights, and pluralism. Combining interdisciplinary classroom units with highly visible campus-wide stand-up actions, student-led public debates with local politicians, and digital journalism, the initiative bridges the gap between theoretical political education and active, experiential civic courage.
#IchStehAuf – Schools for Democracy and Diversity Action Campaign
A concrete response to a school-development need
* Civic Alienation & Resignation: Many young people feel detached from formal political processes and perceive civics lessons as dry, abstract, and irrelevant to their daily realities.
* Societal Polarization & Digital Disinformation: Rising exposure to online propaganda, conspiracy theories, and radicalizing narratives requires proactive, visible resilience-building in schools.
* Lack of Institutional Visibility for Values: Schools often declare democratic values on paper but fail to provide memorable, emotional, and collective platforms where the entire community visibly stands up for these principles.
* Personnel & Time: Planning committee meetings (approx. 1–2 hours per week for 4 weeks); dedication of 1 whole-school project day in the official timetable.
* Materials & Equipment: Basic creative materials (cardboard, banners, paint), audio/PA equipment for assemblies, smartphone cameras/mics for student reporters.
* Budget: Minimal operating budget (€150–€500 for art supplies and guest hospitality); all primary educational toolkits are provided free of charge.
Where this practice supports school development
Use this example when assessment results show development needs in the following areas. Adapt the scale and responsibilities to the context of your school.
School Values & Communication
Make shared values visible in school communication, dialogue and everyday routines.
Teaching & Learning
Connect democratic values with concrete learning experiences, reflection and classroom practice.
School Community & Participation
Create meaningful opportunities for learners and other groups to participate in school life.
Networks & Partnerships
Strengthen cooperation with families, community organisations and external partners.
How it works
#IchStehAuf – Schools for Democracy and Diversity is a nationwide civic mobilization campaign and school development initiative designed to make democratic culture visible, audible, and tangible across the entire school ecosystem. The initiative was launched in response to growing societal polarization, right-wing extremism, online disinformation, and widespread youth alienation from democratic processes.
Core Pedagogical Concept & The "Whole-School" Stance:
The centerpiece of the campaign is a synchronised, symbolic public action where entire school communities literally "stand up" (#IchStehAuf / I Stand Up) for democracy, human dignity, and mutual respect. Rather than being a one-off performance, this physical manifestation is systematically embedded in a multi-phase educational journey linking classroom learning, school-wide events, and outreach into the local community.
Key Structural Pillars of the Practice:
* Cross-Curricular Teaching Units: Ahead of the central action day, educators conduct interdisciplinary teaching units across Social Studies, History, Ethics, German, and Art. Using provided open-source toolkits, students analyze democratic fundamentals, examine the threats of extremism and hate speech, and reflect on the value of pluralism and human rights.
* Creative Campus-Wide Manifestations: On the designated action day, students and staff stage creative, self-organized actions across the school campus (e.g., standing up on chairs or desks simultaneously, forming human chains for peace, designing large-scale outdoor mosaic banners, performing interactive theatre, or staging flash mobs).
* Civic Town-Hall Dialogues (Demokratieforen): Schools invite local, regional, or national politicians, community leaders, and civil society activists to moderated roundtables and panel debates. Students independently chair these panels, challenging decision-makers with prepared questions on youth rights, social justice, and local educational infrastructure.
* Student-Led Media & Public Relations: Pupil editorial teams document the action day using video interviews, podcasts, photo essays, and social media reporting, sharing their democratic commitment with the wider public and local press.
* Institutional Anchoring: The outcomes and pledges formulated during the action day are fed back into the school’s long-term development agenda (Schulprogramm), leading to newly established student democracy clubs, permanent anti-bias guidelines, and enhanced student participation bodies.
What your school can do
- Phase 1: Institutional Resolution & Project Team Formation (Months 1–2): The School Conference (Schulkonferenz) approves participation; an organizing committee comprising students, liaison teachers (Verbindungslehrkräfte), and parents is established to design the event schedule.
- Phase 2: Curricular Preparation & Thematic Deep Dives (Months 2–3): Teachers integrate campaign modules into regular lessons (exploring topics such as human rights, diversity, fighting hate speech, and the history of European democracy).
- Phase 3: Event Staging & Logistical Planning (Month 3): Student working groups design creative concepts (flash mobs, art installations, banner painting, speech drafting); invitations are dispatched to local politicians and media outlets.
- Phase 4: Execution of the Whole-School Action Day (Month 4 / Target Date): Morning: Synchronised school-wide "#IchStehAuf" stand-up action across all classrooms and the schoolyard, accompanied by photographic/video documentation.
- Midday: Interactive workshops, exhibition walks, music and poetry performances.
- Afternoon: Fishbowl debate / town-hall forum with local politicians chaired by student moderators.
- Phase 5: Media Dissemination & Public Outreach (Weeks following Action Day): Publishing student-produced media reports, video clips, and press releases on the school website, social channels, and regional newspapers.
- Phase 6: Long-Term Evaluation & Sustainable Anchoring (Ongoing): Reviewing student feedback; translating campaign momentum into permanent structures (e.g., establishing a permanent Student Democracy Working Group or updating the school charter).
From a pilot to an established school practice
Start small
- Phase 1: Institutional Resolution & Project Team Formation (Months 1–2): The School Conference (Schulkonferenz) approves participation; an organizing committee comprising students, liaison teachers (Verbindungslehrkräfte), and parents is established to design the event schedule.
- Phase 2: Curricular Preparation & Thematic Deep Dives (Months 2–3): Teachers integrate campaign modules into regular lessons (exploring topics such as human rights, diversity, fighting hate speech, and the history of European democracy).
- Phase 3: Event Staging & Logistical Planning (Month 3): Student working groups design creative concepts (flash mobs, art installations, banner painting, speech drafting); invitations are dispatched to local politicians and media outlets.
Build on the practice
- Repeat the practice beyond a single class or one-off event.
- Give learners and other target groups an active role in planning and review.
- Assign clear responsibility and connect the practice to the school’s action plan.
- Review the effects and adjust the practice using feedback from the school community.
Expected or observed impact
Transferability
Extremely High Transferability across Europe:
* Low Resource Threshold: The campaign format requires no expensive technology or bureaucratic prerequisites, making it readily adoptable by any school across Europe.
* Direct Link to European Commemorative Days: Partner schools in Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, or other countries can easily adapt the format and align the action day with European milestone dates, such as Europe Day (9 May), the International Day of Democracy (15 September), or Human Rights Day (10 December).
* High Scalability: The concept can be implemented by a single grade level, an entire school campus, or scaled up as a synchronized municipal school network initiative.
Sources
* Official Campaign Platform #IchStehAuf: https://ichstehauf.org/