Young European of the Year 2018 Schwarzkopf Foundation Annual Report 2018 15 EU Supergirl Fighting Brexit Interview with Madeleina Kay
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Contents 2 Foreword André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf, Chairman of the Board Anne Rolvering and Mandy Buschina, Executive Directors of the Schwarzkopf Foundation 7 Changing Europe Meet people from our programmes 17 Discussing Europe Discussion events in Berlin 27 Shaping Europe European Youth Parliament 37 Discovering Europe Seminars and travel grants across Europe 49 Celebrating Europe Awards and celebrations Foreword Dear Friends of Europe, Throughout Europe, there are doubts. The ongoing refugee crisis, Brexit, and the rise of populism have polarised our democracies. What can we do to change this? Experience shows that looking away does not help. We need to be brave. It is never too early or too late to talk about the values that we stand for. And only when new generations of optimists and changemakers join us can we make Europe open and united. Only together are we able to prevent doubts from taking hold. This year, I was reminded again of the power of individual engagement. Dr. Klaus Vogel – a recipient of the Schwarzkopf Europe award in 2016 – is a captain and founder of SOS Méditerranée, and rescues refugees in the Mediterranean Sea. His civilian ship has saved almost 30.000 people in the last two years. And yet, there is still no European answer to the ongoing refugee crisis. It was an honour to introduce the captain, a modern-day hero, to 300 young people at Humboldt University in Berlin this autumn. He was welcomed with a standing ovation. The Schwarzkopf Foundation stands for a positive vision for Europe’s future. Through our activities – the European Youth Parliament, discussion events, seminars at schools, travel grants, and awards – we have reached over 50.000 young people in 40 European countries this year and have inspired them to contribute to a tolerant, pluralistic, and open-minded Europe. Through interactive seminars and workshops run in schools, we engage with young people who may not be interested in or are not aware of what Europe has to offer. This intentional focus is exactly how Pauline Schwarzkopf, the founder of the foundation, envisioned us to work. Refugees and stateless young persons have also taken part in our European Youth Parliament sessions. Youth’s voices were heard at over 1.000 events; where participants entered into dialogue with experts and decision-makers. And thanks to our travel grants, more than 110 young Europeans have had a chance to personally discover Europe. We remain full of hope and are looking ahead to 2019. We would like to thank all of our supporters, partners, and friends, and hope that you will continue supporting us in our vital work. Vive L’Europe! Yours, André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf Chairman of the Board Schwarzkopf Foundation Young Europe Schwarzkopf Foundation Annual Report 2018 3 Dear readers, How do young people living in 40 European countries wish to live together, now and in the future? In the past year, we managed to find some answers to this question. We made it central to our work’s driving motivation and put it at the centre of our projects. Our seminar trainers brought discussions about Europe to a football stadium. We supported young people from different backgrounds to travel to other countries and conduct research on burning questions concerning Europe. Issues around migration and statelessness are now no longer being discussed only by EU residents during our events – young refugees taking part in our International EYP Sessions and newcomers providing interactive seminars are also grappling with these issues. All of this follows our foundation’s new strategy and aim to listen more to those young people who feel disengaged or are excluded from the European project. We believe that we can only do so by including those who do not consider themselves a part of it. If there is one word with which we would describe the year 2018, it would be uncertainty. Looking ahead at the European Parliament elections next year, we face many questions of how European democracy will look afterwards. Will young people feel more or even less represented in the highest decision-making bodies of the continent? At the Schwarzkopf Foundation, alternatively, it feels like we campaign for Europe every day. Our work to promote European values of solidarity, diversity, and openness continues, even in the quieter times between elections. Every new generation of citizens needs an introduction to Europe and a chance to take active roles in shaping it to their ideals. Our job is to figure out how to deliver this opportunity and make the connection between the idea of Europe and an individual last, positively, and for a lifetime. This annual report serves as a testimony to all of the work our team and networks have done this year. We want to thank you for believing in the urgency of our mission and in the strength of our activities – we realise that they would not have been possible without your kind support. Yours truly, Anne Rolvering & Mandy Buschina 2018 in numbers 2018 in numbers Activities in Over 40 50 1.200 countries cooperation days of EYP partners activities Over 50.000 27 65 participants average age discussion of team members events Over Over 280 500 1st young seminars across open vote for the Young trainers Europe at secondary and European of the Year vocational schools Schwarzkopf Foundation Annual Report 2018 5 2.000.000 budget 40 110 1st national member travel grants mentorship programme organisations of the EYP of the EYP Over 7 2 2.000 EYP events youth conferences with hours of dialogue on Europe organised jointly with newcomers and locals in facilitated in European the UN Refugee Agency Berlin and Brandenburg classrooms More than 11.000 200.000 1 pupils contributing EYP alumni seminar on Europe ideas for Europe in a football stadium Annual Report 2018 7 Changing Europe Meet people from our programmes The Schwarzkopf Foundation offers a space for young people from diverse backgrounds to come together, inspire each other, as well as learn and act together. The foundation aims to empower young people to have their say, whether in a national referendum or with a project for inclusion in their neighbourhood. Taking action matters. Moreover, starting from some core motivations for action – seeing developments around us that we disagree with, for instance, or feeling a sense of belonging to a bigger community – are often the first answers to the question: how does my engagement matter? On the following pages, four people who took part in the foundation’s activities share their ideas on how young people can take action, as well as relate their personal stories of why and how they got engaged in their topics. Changing Europe: Meet people from our programmes “The challenge everywhere in Europe is to enhance education on democracy and political participation, but to also take a clear stance against hate, incitement, and populism.” Dr. Franziska Giffey, speaker at a discussion event of the Schwarzkopf Foundation Schwarzkopf Foundation Annual Report 2018 9 Creating spaces for dialogue and youth participation Interview with Dr. Franziska Giffey Dr. Franziska Giffey (SPD) is the Federal and that young people know the possibilities that exist Minister of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, for becoming active. This is especially crucial for young people who face difficulties in life and who don’t neces- Women and Youth in Germany. She took sarily get the best support at home. Those who struggle part in a discussion event at the Schwarz- with basic problems might not necessarily be able to kopf Foundation on November 13, 2018 engage. They first need to get support from other people, titled, “Youth participation in politics – is school, and society. It’s important to create places where my voice heard?” entering into a dialogue and creating new ideas is possible. For me, the Schwarzkopf Foundation is such a place since More information on the foundation’s discussion it facilitates coming together and talking about the biggest events can be found on pages 16-25. challenges of our time. Discussing a topic is a first step for creating change. What is your view on youth participation in Germany Mrs. Giffey, you are the Federal Minister for Family and Europe today? Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth in Germany. The challenge everywhere in Europe is to enhance educa- How did you start to get engaged politically? tion on democracy and political participation, but to also to I was working as the commissioner for Europe in the Neu- take a clear stance against hate, incitement, and populism. kölln district of Berlin. At some point, I told myself that it’s Young people need to be able to form their own opinions not enough to stay in administrative work, because if you through verified information and a variety of information really want to change something, you have to get politi- channels. It’s possible then to point out concrete ideas for cally engaged. The decisive topic for me was the unequal them on how they can shape their immediate environ- opportunities children had in terms of education. Every ments. At the federal level as well, young people should year, we had around 15 percent of young people leave be included in all decisions that concern them. I think that school without receiving a diploma. I joined the Social our ministry’s guiding principle, “no youth project without Democratic Party because making educational success youth participation,” is excellent. With our support pro- independent from a person’s background is central to the gramme for children and youth, we spend almost 200 mil- SPD. I first became education counsellor, then mayor for lion euros per year financing children and youth projects the district.