Emden celebrates 2028: 40th Lower Saxony Day with a maritime flair!

Emden celebrates 2028: 40th Lower Saxony Day with a maritime flair!

In the summer of 2028, the port city of Emden will be the venue for the 40th Lower Saxony Day. This news was recently announced by the red-green state government during a cabinet meeting. Mayor Tim Kruithoff called the decision a “terrific signal” for the city and its citizens. He emphasizes that Emden is becoming a stage for culture, volunteer work, sport and social interaction.

The festival, which was founded in 1981 and will take place for the 40th time in 2028, will celebrate volunteer work over three days. The state government is supporting the event with up to 720,000 euros to make the variety of voluntary services and initiatives visible. Lower Saxony has a lively tradition of volunteerism, which is celebrating 75 years and almost half of its citizens are committed to it over the age of 14. Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Daniela Behrens emphasized that this day should be a recognition of the commitment of many volunteers, which strengthens the social cohesion of society.

A controversial application

The decision to host the festival in Emden was not made without discussion. The city council voted for the application with a narrow majority, although concerns were raised as an extensive renovation of Emden's city center was planned at the same time for around 20 million euros. Many council members would rather see the festival, which is to take place in the city's maritime flair, take place after 2030 after the renovation work has been completed. Nevertheless, they point to the opportunity to use the event as an attractive platform for numerous participation offers, festival miles and a colorful stage program to present Emden's diversity.

Access to the festival will be free, which is a further incentive for the population and visitors from other regions. Similar major events such as this year's Lower Saxony Day in Osnabrück, which welcomed around 500,000 guests, showed that such events are not only peaceful, but can also be a great enrichment for the respective city.

Volunteering in Lower Saxony

The state of Lower Saxony is actively committed to promoting volunteer work. Platforms like the “Volunteer Server” connect people who want to get involved with over 35,000 clubs and organizations. Areas such as the volunteer fire department, sports activities, youth welfare and many others are clearly supported. Initiatives such as “Lower Saxony tackles it” and “Lower Saxony sticks together” show how important civic engagement is not only in times of normality, but also in crisis situations.

Lower Saxony Day in Emden not only gives Emden citizens a chance to have their say, but also offers a wide range of opportunities to get involved and strengthen the community. The anticipation for the festival is already palpable and the city is preparing to create an unforgettable experience. Whether with cultural performances or free access, the event offers all participants an opportunity to be part of a great celebration.

For further information, NDR and DINiedersachsen will answer your questions about the upcoming event, while Niedersachsen.de will answer interesting ones provides insights into civic engagement in our state.