Ministry of Science, Culture, Federal and European Affairs
The Ministry of Science, Culture, Federal and European Affairs of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
© The Ministry
The Ministry of Science, Culture, Federal and European Affairs of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
© The Ministry
Structure and responsibilities
The Ministry of Science, Culture, Federal and European Affairs is responsible for a large part of social life in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. At the same time, it is the State’s interface at federal level and towards Europe. As such, the Ministry has regional, national and international significance. Its responsibilities range from the fields of science and research to culture in the State, collaboration with churches and religious communities, the Representative for Jewish Life and against Antisemitism, political education (State Centre for Political Education ), the historical reappraisal of the past (State representative for the historical reappraisal of the SED dictatorship) to aspects of politics at Federal level and in Europe.
Science and research
With its six universities and numerous research institutions, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is the home of innovative research and sound teaching. Both quality-oriented research with a relation to practice and outstanding fundamental research are being done.
The Ministry’s Science and Research at Universities department is responsible for state universities and university of applied science, the College of Music and Theatre and also the university hospitals and student associations. This includes cross-university development planning including construction and investment planning in terms of co-ordinating the universities‘ profiles amongst themselves and in relation to non-university research establishments. One important task in this connection is strategic university control and quality assurance. It is implemented by the target agreements.
Culture
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern stands out for a varied cultural landscape which is at home across the entire State. Apart from the big theatres and museums and cultural education establishments, the many small local cultural offerings with numerous players form the special attraction of culture in the State. The culture department takes care of the concerns of art and culture and supports artists and cultural bodies in their work. The department thus promotes and supervises music and youth art schools, libraries, archives and museums. The department is also the contact point for the areas of visual and performing arts, the cultivation of music and literature. Furthermore. the areas of social culture, history preservation, cultural education, material and immaterial cultural heritage and also international culture work all fall within its area of responsibility. In addition, the department is responsible for the preservation of buildings and monuments as part of supervisory and legal control of the State Office for Culture and Monuments, archaeology, the State library and the State archive. The State’s architectural history and garden design and the art collections are cared for with the supervisory and legal control of state castles, gardens and art collections.
State Centre for Political Education
How do politics work? What constitutes democracy? How can I get involved politically? The State Centre for Political Education gives answers to these and many other questions on politics and history. With books, brochures, events and online. Above all, however, because it wants to support citizens to form their own judgement. The State Centre for Political Education therefore works independently of parties and attempts to depict different positions to the different topics. With “Democracy on the road“, the democracy bus and the Democracy Shop Anklam the State Centre for Political Education reaches people in rural areas. In the State Centre for Political Education’s documentation and memorial sites in Schwerin and Rostock, visitors can encounter the history of political persecution in the 20th century. As the State co-ordination point for the State programme entitled “Strengthen democracy and tolerance together!“ the State Centre for Political Education co-ordinates the many efforts in the State to develop a democratic political culture.
The State Centre is the only state institution for political education in the State. At the same time, it also supports political education projects, memorial site work and projects to strengthen democracy and tolerance as part of a varied support landscape in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
State representative for the historical reappraisal of the SED dictatorship
The wounds of the separation of Germany and the SED dictatorship have still not healed more than 30 years after German reunification. Many people in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern still suffer to the present day under the injustice which was inflicted on them in the former GDR. The State representative is the contact point and first port of call for people who are looking for help. At the same time, it is the decisive body for the scientific reappraisal of the communist dictatorship on the territory of what today is the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Federal policy
The representation of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern at federal level is an important interface between State and Federal policy as an “embassy” for the State in Berlin. The responsibilities of the State at federal level and its 25 staff include the general representation of the State’s interests, the observation of and influence on federal lawmaking and the maintenance of contact to the governments of the other countries and to foreign embassies and associations. State representation staff have the right, anchored in the Basic Law, to attend all plenary and committee meetings in the Bundesrat and the Bundestag to represent the interests of the State in the formation of federal policy and lawmaking. As the contact person for all State matters, the State representative works closely with federal ministries, Bundestag fractions, members of the Bundestag from the State, federal institutions, diplomatic missions represented in Berlin, representatives of industry, science, culture, the press, trade unions, churches and non-government organisations.
The State representative also canvasses as a “shop window in Berlin” for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Numerous events on political, cultural, touristic and economic topics draw attention to the State in its full diversity and beauty.
European policy
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is at the heart of Europe. This means the State has a special role in European integration. The direct vicinity to Poland plays an important role in life here. Numerous co-operations with neighbouring countries have been concluded in past years. At the same time, bordering on the Baltic as it does, the State plays a special part in co-operations with northern and north-eastern neighbours. Important aims in co-operation with other countries bordering on the Baltic are the protection of the Baltic living environment and the joint development of the region.
The representation of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern at the European Union in Brussels is an organisational unit of the Ministry. The representation informs the State government in good time of current legislative projects and political developments at EU level. The representation is also the point of contact for municipalities and administrative districts in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and also for companies, research institutions and all citizens.
Matters concerning churches and communities of faith
The department for matters concerning churches and communities of faith is the State government’s liaison body with the communities of faith in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
One focus of work in the department is political contact to churches and communities of faith in the State: connections to Christian churches, to the Jewish regional association, to Islam and other communities of faith are maintained here.
Fundamental intercultural, ideological and interreligious questions and also commemorative culture are dealt with by the department and contacts to players in civil society maintained which are relevant for this scope of duties.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s representative for Jewish life and against antisemitism
It is the task of the representative for Jewish life to co-ordinate State government measures which combat antisemitism cross-departmentally. In addition, they are the point of contact for Jewish communities and social organisations in the State and a facilitator for the combatting of antisemitism at federal and state level and in civil society.
Furthermore, the representative is a member of the standing federal-state commission. The "Common Federal-State Commission for Combatting Antisemitism and to Protect Jewish Life" (BLK) started work on 18th September 2019. Federal states are represented in the commission by their antisemitism representatives.