Organized by [tra:ce], the research center for just and sustainable transformation, the Youth Creative Award was all about unleashing creative forces through a creative and critical examination of the present and future. The task of the competition was to imagine oneself in the year 2070 and to formulate a piece of advice to a person from the present from this perspective.

We were delighted and impressed by the creativity and diversity of the entries submitted - from collages to staged telephone calls.

We cordially invite you to the digital award ceremony on 11.02.2026 from 5 to 7 pm. In addition to the presentation of the award-winning entries, you can expect two exciting lectures by professors and scientists from the university, which will thematically tie in with the content of the submissions and expand on them:

• Prof. Dr. Jan Heilinger: "The climate crisis and me: am I responsible even though the system is unfair?"
• Prof. Dr. Jan Ehlers & Julia Nitsche: "Family member or topping? Dilemmas of the animal-human relationship"

Afterwards, you will also have the opportunity to talk to UW/H students and ask questions about the university and the degree programs offered.

The award ceremony is open to all pupils, teachers and students, even if they have not submitted their own contribution. The prize money for the competition was donated by the Witten University Society.

It is not necessary to register in advance. Participation takes place via Zoom. If there are any problems setting up the Zoom meeting, instructions are available.