Colorful listening benches in Wangen: Experience community and have conversations!

Colorful listening benches in Wangen: Experience community and have conversations!

The colorful listening benches in Wangen have opened their season and have since become an integral part of the cityscape. These initiatives, which were initiated by the churches and the Association of Christian Churches (ACK) as well as the mosque community, invite citizens and visitors to take a seat, rest and talk to one another. The name “Listening Benches” reflects the idea that people should listen to each other and consciously give time. Members of the open listening group who volunteer wear name tags or pillows with the motto “Be Our Guest” to emphasize their invitation. Schwaebische reports.

The listening benches not only offer space for conversations, but also for relaxation and socializing. The locations include the travel bench at the bus station, the viewing bench at the Protestant town church and many others that are carefully distributed throughout the city. These benches are well received by the population and have established themselves as valuable meeting places. Their presence will remain in the city even after the State Garden Show, at the beginning of which they were introduced, has ended. They symbolize the importance of listening in a friendly society and invite you to exchange ideas on various topics. Church services Wangen describes that the willingness to sit and listen is encouraged.

Community and inclusion

The concept of listening benches is in line with the principles of inclusive urban planning, which aims to create a sense of belonging for all community members. The aim of these urban planning initiatives is to break down barriers and create spaces for interactions between people from different backgrounds. Such a design not only promotes social cohesion, but also strengthens marginalized communities. Faster Capital highlights, that an inclusive approach to urban planning is crucial to create functional and socially just cities.

The listening group in Wangen also has plans for future meetings and recruiting new members. Anyone interested is invited to register at the parish office at the Protestant town church or to stop by the first meeting in the new year. Another training and planning meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at 5 p.m. in St. Martin. The ongoing invitation to participate and the regular activities strengthen the feeling of community and inclusion in the city of Wangen.

The colorful listening benches not only offer a physical space to relax, but are also a symbol of the values ​​that are important in an open and solidarity-based society. Creating places where people can easily come together and exchange ideas creates a bit of a home in the community.