A Place of Solidarity
…. in a world founded in competition
We want oppose this society of competition, with building a place in which we fight together and with solidarity for our cause. A place where we can try our selves, free from any pressure of outperforming each other. A place, where we can learn from each other without marks and sanctions. A place where we can celebrate and live culture without commercial interest. A Place where we can exchange and discuss, where we can organize against the ills of capitalist society. A place, where we can participate.
That goal we try to reach with the principle of self-organization. That means: There is no boss, who can command. All decisions are made together and democratic at our weekly meeting.
We invite you to step over and bring your ideas and interests with you.
The FlaFla is a place for you!
All into the FlaFla- For a city from below!
Our credo of the social center FlaFla Herford
Since 1970 the Fla has been a place for a variety of people, where they can exchange and participate in its organization. With time the realization arose, that a place, which is free from hierarchies as possible, which gives people the opportunity to shape their own spare time, has a societal duty as well .
Autonomous Youth- and Culture Center
Because of that, the Fla developed to a place with the claim to be autonomous and not commercial. Since that time there is a diverse program of culture and offers of leisure, all organized by the youth and grown-ups by themselves, without the control through parents, teachers or bosses. Examples for our activities are jam sessions, homework help, sport events, concerts, parties and political events. All decisions are made on our weakly assembly, equal and in consensus.
Financial aids canceled
We received public support, ´till 2012 the city council canceled it. But this didn`t stop our work, it just demanded more engagement more voluntary work. `Till now we always had to struggle with rent, changing places and the subsequent problems.
2015 – A new Beginning
In the year 2015 the Fla got the opportunity to buy a house for itself. The heavy construction work, which had to be done, also induced a change in the internal structures. The realization that the goal to be a place for people independent of their skin color, gender, origin, age and social standing has not been reached, caused an intense and long process of reflexion and re-structuring . There we changed our name from “autonomous youth- and culture center” to “social center”. With this comes the goal to be no longer isolated as safe space from society, but be part of society and induce change in it, with participating in the struggles which shape our world. The Fla ought to be an actor in the local political landscape.
Through educational work, political manifestations we want to make left politics visible again. We want to transmit our positions and understanding of society to the people. But in the first place, our house should be a place which we share with many different groups an people.
Solidarity
We hope to be a social center, which can by an assembly point for all, who don´t feel well with the loneliness and competition, which forms daily life in our society. Against a ruthless capitalist society in which profit counts more than human needs, we want to put active solidarity.
We want to build a community in which can support each other in all situations, if we are victims of oppression, are in conflict we police and state, or fighting with our bosses. Resulting from this we can´t tolerate racism, sexism, homophobia or anti-Semitism.
We want to have a critical handling with all kinds of discrimination, even when we know, that nobody is really free of it, reproducing it, mostly unconscious. Solidarity means also to make each other conscious about our discriminating behavior and reflecting together on it.
Social Center
“Social Center” means to provide a room for critical and uncommercial culture in Herford. As important as in founding times stays the principal of equal participation in all decision making processes. The Fla is a place with the goal to discuss left politics, societal issues, cultural work and make these offering accessible for everyone.
We want an open house for all people who share these ideas and beliefs!
We hope for many new faces, fighting with us for more just future!
We enjoy every idea and critic, supporting our ongoing process!
We don´t tolerate Nazis, Reactionaries, Nationalists or any other person of excluding worldviews!
For a city from below!
Come to us, come to Fla!
November 2017