On Saturday, May 23, 2026, the "Day of Honor" will be celebrated throughout Germany for the first time - a new day of participation on the birthday of our Basic Law. Under the motto "For you. For us. For everyone." this day invites all citizens to get actively involved in the community and live democracy. Whether through clean-up campaigns in residential areas, inclusive sports tournaments, streamed reading sessions, games afternoons in retirement homes or joint street festivals - the day of honor offers numerous opportunities to get involved and show how important the contribution of each individual is for a functioning community.
"Democracy thrives on people who take responsibility, get involved in the community and help shape it. This is exactly what the Day of Honor is all about," says Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, patron and initiator of the Day of Honor. Anyone who would like to take part can now register their activities on the official website www.ehrentag.de. These can be associations, organizations, initiatives, companies, municipalities or even private individuals. The special thing about it is that the planned activities do not necessarily have to take place on 23 May, but can be implemented in the period from 16 to 31 May 2026. Interested citizens can find suitable events in their region via the www.ehrentag.de platform.
The German Foundation for Commitment and Volunteering (DSEE) supports hands-on activities related to the Day of Honor with a funding program. Up to 500 euros can be applied for projects that strengthen the community and encourage people to actively participate - from neighborhood festivals to waste collection campaigns. Applications can be submitted via the DSEE funding portal and funding is available until May 31, 2026 or until the funds are exhausted. The commitment to the Day of Honor is financially supported by a large number of well-known partners. These include the German Postcode Lottery, the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS, Aktion Mensch, the DFB foundations and the national team foundation. Together, a broad platform is being created to make democratic commitment in society visible. "The Day of Honour is a great opportunity not only to celebrate the Basic Law, but also to actively live it in our everyday lives," emphasizes Federal President Steinmeier.
The State Chancellery of Rhineland-Palatinate also supports the initiative as part of its volunteering initiative "Wir-tun-was". In addition, up to 500 euros can be applied for via the democracy support program "100 times 500 for democracy" for campaigns that honor the Basic Law and democracy. Further information is available on the website of the State Chancellery of Rhineland-Palatinate https://www.wir-tun-was.rlp.de.
The day of honor is intended to help anchor democracy not only as a political system, but also as a lived practice in people's hearts and minds. Every hands-on activity, every idea and every commitment counts in keeping the constitution and the principle of community alive.