In October, the Mut magazine was published for the fifth time – with a print run of 800,000 copies, under the editorial leadership of Uschi Entenmann and Tilman Wörtz; the majority of the Mut texts and photos come from Zeitenspiegel Reportagen, with Michael Gleich and the non-profit Culture Counts Foundation as publishers.
The current issue, which is included with 14 daily newspapers in Germany, focuses on local politics. Why is that?
The problems aren't getting any fewer, and the first place you feel them is right on your doorstep – and it's up to the local municipality to deal with them. And that's not just about trash collection or sewage systems. Many mayors in the USA are refusing to obey their president: they continue to pursue the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, they are taking action against gun enthusiasts, they are refusing to deport undocumented migrants. Elsewhere, cities are also acting confidently, sometimes even on
on the international stage: The mayors of Prague, Bratislava, Warsaw, and Budapest are jointly defying nationalist pressure from their national governments and defending the rule of law. Metropolises like London, Paris, Berlin, and Cape Town are exchanging tips and experiences on transport and energy transition under the name „C40.“.
The recently deceased American political scientist Benjamin Barber defined the 21st century as a „century of cities.“ His ideas on the new role of cities in solving global problems led to the creation of the „Global Parliament of Mayors,“ whose president has been Mannheim's mayor Peter Kurz for a year. These thoughts and initiatives have inspired us.
We've researched groundbreaking examples from local politics that have become models worldwide. From the „participatory budget“ in Porto Alegre to the „heat alert“ in Ahmedabad, India. A portrait series showcases individualistic mayors of German municipalities. And a photo documentation shows how social workers from the initiative „Cure Violence“ have been able to reduce the murder rate in many US cities over the past six years.
The Mut magazine tackles a major issue of our time in each edition – and presents people who are
working on his solution; „constructive journalism“ is what this is called
Approach. Under www.mutmagazin.de Can you review and download the booklet?.