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Chat benches start: Conversations against loneliness in Wilmersdorf!
From July 15, 2025, the “chatterboxes” in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf will invite neighbors to chat to reduce loneliness.
Chat benches start: Conversations against loneliness in Wilmersdorf!
The innovative “Plauderbänke” project will start on July 15, 2025, inviting people of all ages in Berlin-Wilmersdorf to have a casual conversation with one another. The benches will be installed at selected locations by the end of September, including Brabanter Platz, Nikolsburger Platz, Bundesplatz and the Klimainsel on Prinzregentenstrasse. This special initiative aims to reduce loneliness and social isolation by promoting interaction between neighbors and passers-by.
As berlin.de reports, the benches have stickers that identify them as “chatterboxes”. People sitting at these benches signal their willingness to talk so that others can sit there too. On certain days, discussion partners from various initiatives such as the Wilmersdorf Neighborhood Network and the Senior Citizens' Representation are present at the benches for the discussions.
Staggered call times
The chat benches are occupied at fixed times. At Brabanter Platz in particular, discussions are offered on Tuesdays from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., while the benches at Nikolsburger Platz are available on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and at the Klimainsel from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Bundesplatz is occupied on Fridays from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. However, the benches are not used in bad weather, such as rain or storms.
This initiative is carried out in collaboration with the Wilmersdorf Mobile District Work, the nachbarschafft e.V. association and the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district office. Florian Seitz and Katja Worch-Fouhakue are available via email for further information.
A global approach to combating loneliness
The concept of chat benches originally comes from England, where police officer Ashley Jones developed the idea of a “chat bench” in 2018. Since then, the model has spread internationally, with chat rooms in various cities, including Germany, Poland, Spain, the USA, Canada and Australia. As Wikipedia confirms, the main goal of these benches is to promote spontaneous conversations to strengthen social cohesion and reduce loneliness.
Loneliness is a complex and subjective experience that can occur at any stage of life and regardless of social conditions. [bpb.de]. Public spaces such as parks and squares play a crucial role in creating opportunities for social interactions. Access to places that enable low-threshold encounters is essential to counteract social isolation.
With the introduction of chat benches in Wilmersdorf, a concrete step is being taken to improve the social infrastructure and actively counteract the growing loneliness in urban areas. It now remains to be seen how well this project will be received and what influence it will have on social interaction in the neighborhood.