Federal President Frank‑Walter Steinmeier will open his official residence in Berlin on 12 and 13 September 2025 and invite the public to attend the citizens’ festival in the park at Schloss Bellevue. With the two‑day citizens’ festival, the Federal President and his wife Elke Büdenbender wish to pay tribute to the many volunteers in Germany who are actively committed to the common good.

Around 4000 volunteers from all over the country, all of whom make a special contribution to our vibrant civil society, have been invited to attend the first day of the festival on Friday, 12 September.

On Saturday, 13 September, the open day at Schloss Bellevue, the Federal President and Elke Büdenbender will welcome all interested members of the public to the official residence at Schloss Bellevue. With this year’s motto an honour to volunteer – count me in, the citizens’ festival is promoting voluntary engagement in civil society. Around 50 non‑profit organisations, initiatives and businesses will be on display in the palace grounds over the two‑day event, showcasing the diversity of social engagement.

The partner region of this year’s citizens’ festival is Rhineland-Palatinate. Portugal will be represented at the festival as the international partnercountry. Both Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate Alexander Schweitzer have signalled that they will attend the citizens’ festival.

Once again, this year, guests at the citizens’ festival will have the opportunity to find out more about the many facets of volunteer work, visit the official residence of the Federal President in Berlin and meet the Head of State in person.

Further information on the programme for the Federal President’s citizens’ festival 2025 will be published here at a later date.

• https://www.bundespraesident.de/SharedDocs/Berichte/EN/Frank-Walter-Steinmeier/2025/250912-13_citizens-festival.html