Development is our passion. Our own organisation – SOCIUS – is also developing, of course! But we tend to be quite cautious when it comes to big steps, trying to sense what feels organic. The big step we are now facing is one that has been looming for the last few years: Rudi, who founded SOCIUS in 1998, is looking for a new field and is leaving the SOCIUS team.

Together, we have built SOCIUS over more than 20 years and made it something we can all be proud of. The combination of entrepreneurial creativity and the conviction that development requires shared responsibility has always made SOCIUS an exciting place to be. Along the way, we have increasingly been inspired and guided by practices of self-organisation. In many ways, self-organisation also has to do with development.

Rudi is now embarking on the freedom of a new venture: he is planning a political campaign on climate protection and justice, coupled with „ultralight methods“ – inspired by his months of travelling with ultralight luggage.

SOCIUS is also consciously moving towards more collaborative development in partnerships and ecosystems. We want to focus even more intently on the major social challenges of our time.

Of course, such a farewell is always emotional, and ours is bittersweet. We are filled with gratitude for what we have experienced together and joy for new endeavours with all our partners – that is, with you!

We hope to continue our good exchange and connection in all directions and send our warmest regards.

Andreas Knoth, Christian Baier, Denise Nörenberg, Joana Ebbinghaus, Julia Hoffmann, Kerstin Engelhardt, Nicola Kriesel, Ralph Piotrowski, Simon Mohn and Rudi Piwko

September 2021