Contest REVIERPIONIER's deadline extended to the year 2029.
In the heart of Germany, a unique competition is fostering innovation and encouraging citizens to transform their ideas into reality. The REVIERPIONIER ideas competition, spanning until 2029, has seen a significant increase in submissions since its inception, with over 500 ideas presented this year, up from 300 in the first year.
This competition, open to all citizens, associations, non-profit institutions, schools, and kindergartens in the districts of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Burgenlandkreis, Mansfeld-Südharz, Saalekreis, and the city of Halle (Saale), is playing a crucial role in addressing current challenges in structural change. By focusing on annual thematic priorities, the competition can tackle issues more effectively and contribute to shaping the future of the region.
One such project, "Green Skills," is making a significant impact. This initiative creates solutions that promote knowledge transfer, make sustainability tangible, and support green jobs in the Central German region. It strengthens the role of young people in structural change by providing practical skills in renewable energies, resource conservation, and circular economy.
The project has been implemented successfully in the city of Bitterfeld-Wolfen by the association Bildungszentrum Wolfen-Bitterfeld e.V., and the kindergarten "Loewenzahn" in Sangerhausen is another shining example. Through the REVIERPIONIER project "From the meadow into the WWW," the kindergarten combines digital education with nature experiences, introducing children to digital media relevant to the environment in an age-appropriate manner. In 2024, this project won the audience award.
The digital formats used in "Loewenzahn" demonstrate how the real and digital worlds can be meaningfully connected. The kindergarten also involves regional companies in developing projects like mini wind turbines or solar panels, further integrating the local community in the process of change.
The success of the REVIERPIONIER competition has not gone unnoticed. Minister-President Dr. Reiner Haseloff considers it a success story, and the task force for structural change in the state chancellery and ministry of culture is receiving around 5.6 million euros from the federal program "Strengthening Transformational Dynamics and Breakthrough in Regions and at Coal Power Plant Sites" (STARK).
One notable winner of the REVIERPIONIER competition is the Schwemme e.V. from Halle (Saale), which received a European grant of 2.15 million euros in 2025 for the NEB project "LEHM - BAU - KULTUR."
The growing interest and willingness of the population to participate in driving structural change are evident in the increasing number of submissions and the success of projects like "Green Skills" and "Loewenzahn." Rainer Robra, the State Minister and Minister of Culture, emphasizes this trend, stating that the population is more engaged than ever in shaping change in their region.
