Petition is addressed to: Regional Synod of the Protestant Church in the Rhineland (EKiR)

The Evangelical Church in the Rhineland (EKiR) is planning, as part of its financial strategy, to cut funding for the Protestant Student Communities (ESG) by around 75 percent. In their current form, this would amount to a de facto abolition of the ESGs. The cuts would primarily affect the communities carried and shaped by young adults – a group that is central to the future of the church.
From 16 to 20 January 2026, the Regional Synod of the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland will decide in Bonn on the future of all ESGs, their student residences, and the work with international students (STUBE programme). A closure would have far-reaching consequences:

• Loss of protected spaces for students who face particular challenges in their daily lives.
• Disappearance of international, ecumenical, and anti-racist communities that have grown over decades.
• Weakening of the church’s presence at universities – the nationally recognised “Red Rooster” symbol of the ESG would disappear from the EKiR.
• Loss of affordable student housing and long-established solidaristic living arrangements.
• Insufficient replacement through the planned transfer of responsibilities to local church districts, which lack the specific structures and resources needed for this work.

With this petition, we draw attention to the situation of all nine ESGs in the Rhineland – because their preservation is of great religious, social, and societal importance.
Our Demands

1. Preservation of all nine ESG communities within the EKiR – including the “Red Rooster” brand.
2. A visible and permanent presence of the ESGs at universities.
3. Protection of international, anti-racist, and queer-inclusive community spaces.
4. Continuation of specialised counselling, pastoral care, and educational work for students.
5. Safeguarding affordable student housing, if necessary by transferring buildings to non-profit organisations rather than commercial landlords.