What a powerful weekend in Ettlingen! Streets, parks, and churches became places where we raised our voices for climate justice.
From September 19 to 21, 2025, we demonstrated with broad and new alliances that climate protection requires our commitment, our spirituality, and our diverse voices.
Friday: First climate demonstration in Ettlingen
On Friday, around 350 people took to the streets in Ettlingen and the southern district of Karlsruhe for climate justice. We were overwhelmed by the energy: Two powerful expert presentations – by Dr. Andrea Meyn (Helmholtz Energy Office) and Prof. Peter Knippertz (KIT) – were combined with a creative role-playing game by Omas for Future and rousing live music.
Over 20 clubs, institutions, and churches participated in the demonstration—a strong signal that climate justice has arrived in our urban society. Thank you to everyone who participated and raised their voices!
Saturday: Ecumenical climate prayer in Horbachpark
“Today we want to give space to spirituality. It is a source of strength and motivation for loving care of our planet.” (Ruth, Omas4Future)
At the ecumenical climate prayer service in Horbach Park, we felt that climate justice is also a question of relationships.
“Today we want to open a space to experience relationships: relationships with myself, with my fellow creatures, with the earth and with God.”
“Too much, too long, too hot, creation is starving and thirsting, species are becoming extinct, people are losing their livelihoods, and must leave their homes if they want to survive.” (Silke, Catholic Deanery of Ettlingen)“The soil secures our existence; we speak of Mother Earth and Mother Earth.” (Ruth, Omas4Future)
We explored our relationships at four stations: the earth that supports us, the ground beneath our feet, the sun around us, and life with one another.
“ Who is my climate neighbor? Climate justice means neighborliness across borders.” (Caroline, GreenFaith eV)
At the subsequent participatory picnic, project presentations were held, including the upcycling workshop by Scientists for Future: “Build your own balcony power plants from old, but functional, solar panels,” and formulating wishes for a “future city of Ettlingen” based on the models of Paris and Tübingen. With the original globe from the photo project “my globe your globe,” one’s own view of the world became an experience.
Sunday: Climate art exhibition and church service
Sunday morning: Choir singing, clear sermons, a full church, a strengthening community. After Holy Mass at the Sacred Heart Church , photographs, paintings, and poems from the “Life in Crisis – Solidarity in Art” exhibition were shown, touching many people and sparking conversations about the climate crisis.
This climate weekend has shown: We need both – protest on the streets and the spiritual strength that sustains us. And we need each other as a community that inspires courage.
We conclude by asking for blessings for all our future actions:
God, Creator of heaven and earth, let rain fall upon us like blessings, protect us like the animals and plants. Be with us on every path, no matter how rocky. Amen.