Bavarian Ministry of Culture and Bundeswehr continue successful cooperation
In view of the changing times in security policy and the wars in Europe and the Middle East, children and young people are more concerned with the issue of war and peace today than they were a few years ago. They expect information and explanations from schools that help them to gain a comprehensive picture of security policy, international conflict management and peace strategies.
Today, Tuesday, Minister of Education Anna Stolz and Brigadier General Thomas Hambach, Commander of the Bavarian State Command, are renewing the cooperation agreement concluded in 2010 between the Ministry of Education and the Bundeswehr. “With their specialist lectures and panel discussions, the youth officers make an important contribution to political education in our schools. They are the experts when it comes to the currently controversial topics of peacekeeping and defense policy. Since the current school year, we have also anchored the proven cooperation with the Bundeswehr in the Bavarian Education and Teaching Act, thereby further strengthening our successful cooperation.” Anna Stolz also emphasized: “It is important to me that our students understand that peace and freedom cannot be taken for granted, and the same applies to security and human rights. These values must be defended anew every day.”
Brigadier General Thomas Hambach, Commander of the Bavarian State Command, is also pleased about the visible strengthening of the existing connection: “The work of our youth officers has a long tradition and I very much welcome the fact that their contribution to political education is being anchored even more firmly with the law to promote the Bundeswehr in Bavaria as well as with this cooperation. They bring their knowledge particularly to schools, which are concerned with conveying security and defense policy, but also socio-political contexts and processes. And it is important to them to explain, classify and discuss the news and reports transmitted via the traditional as well as the “new” social media, as well as the political actions of the federal government. If the overall social aspects in particular lead to young people recognizing and accepting the importance of their own contribution to the general public, of whatever kind, then in my view that is a great benefit for all of us.”
Information on new developments in the cooperation agreement
The new agreement places even greater emphasis on empowerment and participation as well as the acquisition of democratic competence as the main goals of political education in the classroom. Conflicts are to be seen as a characteristic of the present and should include not only the national viewpoint but also a European and global perspective. In addition, it takes a more targeted look at the principles of the Beutelsbach Consensus and the overall concept for political education in Bavarian schools.
Further information on the work of the Bundeswehr’s youth officers can be found here:
