All five houses are striving to become venues for debate. This is already embedded in the individual strategies each house employs: The Buddenbrook-House, for example, has been engaging in a public discussion of the concept for the NEW Buddenbrook-House and is encouraging students to offer their ideas and perspectives. The Monacensia at the Hildebrandhaus focuses on socio-political issues. In the Thomas Mann Cultural Center in Nida, Mann’s themes have always been translated into the present. From the very beginning, the Thomas Mann House in Los Angeles was conceived as a venue for transatlantic dialogue. Through the exclusive “Thomas Mann Lectures,” the Thomas Mann Archives in Zurich have long been cultivating discussions with the public. 
The Network promises to emphasize and further develop this aspect of the organization. The exchange between the Houses shows the wealth of connections to Thomas and the Mann family. They can be found in a wide range of topics, such as migration and exile, gender or debates on political participation and democracy. The proposal to reflect on the critical commentaries of Thomas Mann by his contemporaries is yet another way of transporting the author into the present day.
In order to grow as a venue for debate, the network regularly organizes digital projects for fostering international exchange. Our range of videos, interviews, livestreams, podcasts, lectures, e-publications and virtual exhibitions can be found under "Digital Resources".