DialogPunkt Xanten opens in February 2025
The DialogPunkt, an offer from our project in cooperation with individual municipalities in the districts of Kleve and Wesel, is opening its doors in Xanten. At the DialoguePoint, hands-on activities, guided tours and lectures from research and practice invite people of all ages to engage with the topic of sustainability in all its facets.
‘The idea of the DialoguePoints arose from the question: How can we as a university contribute to bringing the diverse aspects of sustainability to society?’ explains Florian Gaisrucker, who is responsible for dialogue with society in our project as Innovation Manager Society.
‘The DialogPunkt offers a platform for bringing people, associations, institutions and other groups together, stimulating discussions and perhaps even providing impetus for new ideas and projects.’
After bringing a vacant shop in Kleve city centre to life for four weeks last year together with the city of Kleve, it’s now ‘Next stop Xanten’. Every first Tuesday of the month from February to July, the Weberturm will be kissed awake from its slumber.
The event kicks off on 4 February 2025 with a lecture by Christiane Otto-Böhm, who works on the Kieswende project in the district of Wesel, on the topic of ‘Building with sustainable and renewable raw materials’. Anyone considering installing a balcony power plant should not miss the workshop ‘Electricity from my balcony’ on 4 March 2025 with Akke Wilmes, energy consultant at the NRW consumer advice centre. On 1 April 2025, Sebastian Held, monument conservationist for the city of Xanten, will give a lecture followed by a guided tour on how the protection of historical monuments can also protect the climate for the future.
On 6 May 2025, the DialogPunkt Xanten will be dedicated to sustainable agriculture. Dr Ana Kreter, coordinator of our agroforestry real-world laboratory, will introduce agroforestry partners in the Lower Rhine region. Agroforestry products will be tasted under the motto ‘Taste of Niederrhein’. Things will be colourful on 3 June 2025, when Dörte Dreher-Peiss from the Kneippverein Xanten-Uedem-Sonsbeck e.V. invites visitors to a workshop with a guided tour of herbs, and flowers will be turned into colours. DialogPunkt Xanten will close on 1 July 2025 with an after-work market under the motto ‘Xanten is so sustainable’.
‘We hope that Tuesday will establish itself as Sustainability Tuesday in the minds of the people of Xanten,’ says Florian, looking confidently to the coming months in Xanten. ‘TransRegINT will be on site at every event, moderating, actively supporting the themed evenings and being available for questions and discussions, also to pick up on ideas for joint further development in the project.’
Those responsible at the city of Xanten hope that the DialogPunkt will revitalise the Weberturm in the long term. ‘Perhaps other groups will be encouraged to organise regular cultural events in the Weberturm,’ says Pauline Becker from TIX – Tourist Information Xanten. The smallest of the six preserved defence towers in Xanten certainly offers a peaceful atmosphere for groups of up to 12 people. After extensive restoration work, it shines in new splendour.
‘At best, the Weberturm will be perceived as a centrepiece for sustainability issues in Xanten even after the DialogPunkt events have ended,’ says Florian, hoping that similar formats and activities will continue. ‘Then the work and commitment of everyone involved would be characterised by sustainability.’
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