Magdeburg (dpa/sa) - The state government and state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt honored the commitment of volunteers on Sunday in Magdeburg. Around 150 guests attended the festival, which was themed "Politics say thank you". "In Saxony-Anhalt, more than 800,000 people volunteer in their free time. That's significantly more people than a few years ago, and I'm very pleased about this positive development," said Deputy Prime Minister Armin Willingmann (SPD), according to a statement from the State Chancellery.
800,000 people are more than a third of the total population of Saxony-Anhalt, Willingmann said during the reception. "Especially during the corona pandemic, it has been shown what voluntary work can achieve - and how creatively it also finds new forms when this is necessary. And even now that thousands of refugees from Ukraine have been taken in by us, it proves itself anew." Volunteering is an important pillar of society. "A culture of recognition is also part of volunteer work. So that volunteer work is honored."
According to the State Chancellery, the reception was already planned for December, but was then postponed to the summer due to the corona. With temperatures of more than 30 degrees Celsius on Sunday afternoon after the opening, Willingmann gave the men the signal to "relax". Jacket and tie could thus be officially removed.
