Pledge 2: Stuttgart

On 23 September 2020, Stuttgart signed a new pledge to principle 3 of the European Pillar of Social Rights, reaffirming its commitment to equal opportunities for all people with a focus on integration and inclusion of migrants and refugees.

Stuttgart has adopted its own integration model known as ‘Stuttgart Pact for Integration’ by which the city commits to:

• Direct about € 77 million from municipal budget each year to social integration measures for supporting refugees in all areas of life from housing, access to childcare and schools, language courses, healthcare and cultural life, by working in partnership with welfare organisations.
• Currently the city is hosting 6,000 refugees in decentralised accommodation in 100 housing units across 23 city districts
• Support refugees to enter the local labour market through personalised counselling, vocational skills training, accompanying language learning by the Jobcenter Stuttgart which spent €195 million for these measures in 2015-2019, of which €50 million from municipal budget

Stuttgart’s Deputy Mayor for Social Affairs and Integration, Alexandra Sußmann, said: “Stuttgart is committed to empowering refugees right from their arrival to our city so that they can contribute to actively take part in society with their competencies and potentials. Everyone that lives in Stuttgart is a Stuttgarter, no matter what passport, ethnical background or residence permit they have.”