With this new format, Zukunftswerk is going mobile for the first time. At the same time, the mitWIrken unit is expanding its existing public participation offerings to include a low-threshold tool for exchange, information, and public engagement in public spaces. The cargo bike can be used at events, in neighborhoods, at markets, or for spontaneous activities, and is also available to other departments within the city administration for participation and information initiatives.

Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende, under whose purview the mitWIrken staff unit operates, emphasizes: “Public participation thrives on being informed, having a say, and getting involved. With this new mobile format, we’re creating an additional opportunity for direct dialogue on an equal footing. We want to provide information early on, listen, and work together with the residents of Wiesbaden to further develop our city.” 

City Councilwoman Maral Koohestanian, Head of the Department for Smart City, Europe, and Public Order and initiator of the “Zukunftswerk,” also sees this as a logical further development of previous approaches: “With the cargo bike, the Zukunftswerk is becoming truly visible citywide for the first time. We’re bringing participation to where people are, actively engaging in dialogue, and incorporating ideas, feedback, and perspectives directly from the city’s community into our projects. This is an important step toward open, cooperative, and smart urban development.”

In terms of content, the concept is based on proven best-practice examples from Kirchheim unter Teck as well as the CityLAB Berlin, with which Zukunftswerk is collaborating on the “Stadtlabor2Go” project. The idea of a mobile urban lab was specifically adapted to Wiesbaden’s participatory structure and integrated into the existing formats of Zukunftswerk and the mitWIrken staff unit. At the heart of the initiative is a clear guiding principle: stay informed, have a say, get involved. Citizens can obtain information on-site, ask questions, provide feedback, and contribute their own suggestions regarding urban projects.

The cargo bike serves not only as a mobile information booth but also as a visible symbol of an open, dialogue-oriented, and modern administration. Thanks to its flexible use, the city administration can establish a presence on-site quickly and easily, making participation accessible and relevant to everyday life.

The first deployments of this mobile participation format are already being planned. The launch is scheduled for the Spring Market on Tuesday, March 24, at the former SportScheck building. The team from Zukunftswerk and the mitWIrken staff unit will be on site there between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to facilitate direct dialogue with residents.

In the future, locations, dates, and thematic focuses of the mobile format will be announced via the city’s participation portal at www.wiesbadenwirkt.de (opens in a new tab). There, you can also find information and opportunities to participate in many city projects. 

The mobile participation initiative has deliberately not yet been given an official name. Suggestions for a suitable name can be submitted via the participation portal at www.wiesbadenwirkt.de. In addition, citizens can also share naming ideas during the first event on Tuesday, March 24, at thwww.wiesbadenwirkt.de (opens in a new tab). There, you can also find information and opportunities to participate in many city projects. 

The mobile participation initiative has deliberately not yet been given an official name. Suggestions for a suitable name can be submitted via the participation portal at www.wiesbadenwirkt.de. In addition, citizens can also share naming ideas during the first event on Tuesday, March 24, at the former SportScheck building. This way, the spirit of participation can be actively put into practice right from the start of the new initiative.