As part of the Youth Labs in the Erasmus+ project WAVE II, KJA Cologne and Jama Nyeta organized the Lab “Demokratie Theater Direkt – Demokratie spielerisch und hautnah erleben” on 10.09.2025 in Cologne. The reason for the Youth Lab was the local elections and integration council elections in Cologne on Sunday, 14.09.2025.

Using the Theater Direkt method, participants were directly immersed in democratic decision-making processes: they developed their own scenes, made group decisions and reflected on common values such as respect, solidarity and shared responsibility.

The lab followed on from a preparatory session with the Quararo democracy game, in which decision-making processes were tested through play. In the theater workshop, the young people were able to deepen these experiences and contribute their own perspectives to the joint play.

The combination of theater, intercultural exchange and practical experience of democracy made the workshop a lively learning space for young people. Many participants were motivated to cast their vote in the upcoming election – a strong sign of democracy in action!