Meeting benches - new places for encounters and togetherness

The dementia trail consists of various stations. At each station there is a bench painted in dusky pink. According to studies, it is precisely this shade that is particularly appealing to people with dementia and is still recognized even in more advanced stages. Each station has a different focus, which should be addressed. Whether it is memory training through old objects, reading a story or movement through an exercise machine. Information boards show the respective activities and refer to the other stations. Everyone is welcome to follow the dementia trail and engage with the topic of dementia.

In June 2025, the Children's Rights Square in Aachen became a little more colorful: Children and young people worked together to design one of the concrete benches there with lots of color, creativity and heart. The young people from Jugendberufshilfe lovingly prepared the benches - and on June 24, ten children from the inclusive kindergarten "Schikita" made the bench shine with bright colors and small works of art. The result is a wonderful, lively work of art that visibly enhances the Children's Rights Square and lovingly bears the children's signature.

The project was implemented in cooperation between the Youth Participation Department (FB01), the Youth Vocational Assistance Department (FB45), the Neighborhood Management Aachen-Nord (FB56), the inclusive family center "Schikita" and Bluebird Events GmbH.

The city of Aachen is actively committed to a dignified, self-determined life in old age. The central point of contact is the "Ageing in Aachen" office, which acts as a point of contact for senior citizens, relatives and specialist agencies. Its aim is to provide comprehensive support for older people, give them guidance and enable them to participate in social life. Together with the closely connected Senior Citizens' Council, which represents the interests of older people in politics and administration and campaigns for accessibility and local transport, among other things.

One particularly charming and effective project that emerged from the commitment of the Senior Citizens' Council is the so-called "Mulle benches". These specially marked benches have been inviting people to linger and, above all, chat since the beginning of May 2025. The name is derived from the Aachen dialect word "mulle", which means "to chat" or "to talk". The idea behind it: Anyone who sits down on such a bench is signaling openness for a short chat. For older people living alone in particular, these benches can be a low-threshold place to meet and socialize - in the middle of everyday life.

This shows that Aachen is taking ageing seriously - not just as a challenge, but as an opportunity for more togetherness, solidarity and quality of life in the urban area.

Sustainability meets modern technology Equipped with powerful solar panels, the benches provide the necessary energy for Wi-Fi and charging functions - a sustainable solution that contributes to Aachen's digital and environmentally friendly development. Thanks to thorough maintenance, all benches are optimally positioned so that citizens can reliably surf the internet and charge their devices even when they are in heavy use. The Economic Development Agency is proud to take a further step towards a sustainable, digital city with the WLAN solar benches and is also pleased to be able to make the city center a more attractive place to spend time. Take the opportunity to enjoy a relaxing break on one of the benches - with free Wi-Fi and environmentally friendly energy.

The UN campaign "Orange The World" has been drawing attention to violence against women since 1991 - and for good reason.

The figures on domestic violence are alarming. In 2022, more than 240,000 victims of domestic violence were recorded in Germany, an increase of 8.5% compared to the previous year. The victims are predominantly women (71.7%), while the perpetrators are mostly men (76.3%).

According to official studies by the World Health Organization and the European Fundamental Rights Agency, one in three women between the ages of 16 and 60 will be the victim of physical violence at least once in their lives, and one in seven women in this age group will experience sexual violence. In a large number of cases (around 41%), the scene of the violence is the woman's own home.

ZONTA e.V., the Equal Opportunities Office of the City of Aachen and the two coordinators for the city center have now jointly implemented an idea to make a statement against domestic violence at frequently visited places in Aachen. The bus station, Kaiserplatz, Kennedypark and Büchel have been given a new bench in eye-catching orange.

"Violence against women must be recognized in public, it is not a private matter," says Elisabeth Auchter-Mainz, member of ZONTA and former victim protection officer of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

After public buildings were illuminated in orange in recent years, the protagonists opted for the eye-catching benches this year. "This campaign is more sustainable and hopefully also more memorable due to the longer duration and good visibility in the cityscape," explains Sabine Bauch, Equal Opportunities Officer for the City of Aachen.

And the concrete use is also very important: not only as a place to sit, but also as a medium for information about possible help in the event of domestic violence. Here you can find the number of the federal help hotline and, via a QR code, the contact details of local help facilities.