Painted in colorful shades, decorated with natural materials, glitter stones or fabric, logos of the participating associations accurately drawn or sprayed using a stencil – there were no limits to creativity on Saturday morning when large-format wooden blank puzzle pieces were created. One hundred large-format puzzle pieces had been printed on wood for this purpose, bearing the logo of "Engagierte Stadt Eichstätt" but also containing a large free space next to the logo that could be designed freely. Immersed in painting or eagerly handling brushes and paints, children, young adolescents and adults alike worked enthusiastically at the large painting table that had been set up at market square: "All these wonderfully creative puzzle pieces shall be seen as a sign of belonging to the Engagierte Stadt movement", said initiator Maria Bartholomäus smiling happily. She is active in the field of civic engagement at the "Mensch in Bewegung" project (KU). With the campaign and a puzzle piece designed according to their wishes, as many associations and groups in Eichstätt as possible were invited to make their commitment visible.
Colorful puzzle for commitment in Eichstätt
![[Translate to Englisch:] Puzzle](/fileadmin/_processed_/e/c/csm_EngagierteStadt_26bearb_015be82315.jpg)
Mayor Josef Grienberger was visibly pleased to have the opportunity to talk to many committed representatives of Eichstätt associations during the campaign, including the Kinderschutzbund (Child Protection Association), the Tanzsportclub (Dancing Sports Club), the BRK (Bavarian Red Cross), the LBV (Bird Protection Association), Bahnhof lebt! e.V., the sustainability network fairEInt, the Kolping family, the Eichstätt Music School and the Musiknetz: "I am always overwhelmed by the diversity and liveliness of Eichstätt's associations landscape and the commitment of so many people to a wide variety of topics", praised the mayor.
During talks with the attending representatives of the associations and groups, who could take refreshments in breaks of the program with a fair cup of coffee and fair pastries, the project manager Maria Bartholomäus provided information about the "Engagierte Stadt". Eichstätt has been a member of the nationwide network of committed cities since 2021. The network includes more than 100 cities that have set themselves the goal of enabling trusting cooperation between associations, administration, politics, companies and civil society. As in all other committed cities, the activities of the "Engagierte Stadt Eichstätt" are intended to benefit all those involved and to strengthen civic engagement in the city and thus associations, groups and institutions: "Eichstätt, however, is different from most of the cities in the network", Bartholomäus emphasized. Here, the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, that understands itself as a committed university, forms part of the local network and even coordinates the initiative “Engagierte Stadt Eichstätt”. The puzzle piece campaign was financed by KU project funds. However, all activities take place in close coordination with Mayor Grienberger and the founding partners – fairEInt and Bahnhof lebt! e.V.: "In Eichstätt, the committed city initiative greatly benefits from the diversity of volunteers in our city – from every individual, every group, every club, every association", says Bartholomäus. It also includes the numerous student initiatives as well as the full-time structures, which should not be forgotten as hubs for commitment.
At the end of the painting activity, all representatives of the associations put their painted puzzle pieces together to form a large picture and then took it with them to their association locations or meeting places. There, the puzzle pieces now find their new home clearly visible in the interior, or, in the best case, in the external area: "Making the committed actors in Eichstätt visible is a first important step", says Maria Bartholomäus. After all, the puzzle work is only the start to a series of further activities. In the further process, the aim will be to create a framework for exchange, encounters and mutual support among all parties involved: "The Engagierte Stadt Eichstätt does not see itself as a label, but as a space for cooperation and joint shaping of a lively and future-oriented city", emphasizes Bartholomäus.
Another milestone will be the nationwide conference "Engagierte Städte – Engagierte Hochschulen” (Committed cities - committed universities) that will be held in Eichstätt on July 7 and 8, at which representatives of all committed cities in Germany will discuss how committed cities and committed universities can work together productively to jointly create good framework conditions for the development of civic engagement and citizen participation.
Dagmar Kusche