"You have helped to work on the future of Salzgitter": Sylvia Fiedler, Children and Families Officer for the City of Salzgitter, used these words to thank the project groups that have helped to shape the guidelines for "Salzgitter 2020" over the past two and a half years.

Before the presentation, Simone Kessner, Head of the Mayor's Office, welcomed the 160 or so guests in the Kulturscheune on behalf of Mayor Frank Klingebiel, who was ill. "This topic is close to his heart," she said, expressing her regrets and best wishes for the guidelines event. Demographic change as a challenge for the future of Salzgitter was the reason for the 2008 review and the guidelines for "Salzgitter 2020" developed by Frank Klingebiel.

One major interim success of the child and family policy has been the stabilization of the population. Since spring 2013, an upward trend has been observed. This means that the positive effects on the living situation formulated in the projects of the guideline process have reached the population. "We have taken the right path," says Simone Kessner.

But where does Salzgitter actually stand? What have the citizens' dialogues with more than 250 representatives from business, administration, institutions, organizations and associations achieved over the past two and a half years? The members of the working groups have consistently focused on the goal of making demographic development, improving the level of education and the prospects for the development of the business location the decisive criteria for measures. 78 proposals were developed for seven outstanding key objectives focusing on care, education, strengthening the business location, citizen services and family-friendly urban development. "The working groups have developed projects and bundled ideas that will improve Salzgitter," Sylvia Fiedler made clear.

The representatives of the working groups presented the result "Salzgitter is a city of learning" in vivid answers: According to Dr. Roswitha Krum, Head of the Children, Youth and Family Department, the expansion of childcare facilities is a success story for Salzgitter. In 2001, for example, there were only 38 nursery places, but today there are 334. In total, the city provides 485 childcare places for the under-threes. Salzgitter is also setting new standards, for example, by making daycare free of charge for all children from Salzgitter from the age of 3 or by having a third teacher in kindergartens.

In addition, those responsible for the working groups set priorities in school social work, urban renewal, reading promotion for different age groups and attractive leisure and cultural activities. There is also a focus on strengthening prevention work and the educational locations Ostfalia and the vocational school (BBS).

However, just as important to the working groups is the expansion of offers for senior citizens, such as the intergenerational workshop, which focuses on young and old working together. Cross-generational promotion of sport and exercise is just as important as the motto "Living together - learning together" combined with the promotion of civic engagement. Equally important to those involved is the child- and senior-friendly design of public buildings.

"This milestone event shows us the path we have already taken," said the Children and Families Commissioner, referring to the successful steps Salzgitter has already taken. This strategic path must now be pursued further. "Because a milestone also shows us the path that still lies ahead of us and which we must continue to pursue consistently," said Sylvia Fiedler.