Schwarzkopf Foundation Annual Report Table of contents 4–5 Forewords André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf, Chairman of the Board Anne Rolvering, Executive Director of the Schwarzkopf Foundation until October 2020 Luisa Seiler, Executive Director of the Schwarzkopf Foundation 6–9 Schwarzkopf Foundation About us 10–17 Shaping Europe European Youth Parliament FreeInterrail 18–27 Postmigrant Europe Young Islam Conference Competence Network “Living Together in Migration Societies” Postmigrant Europe Project 28–31 Understanding Europe The Educational Network 32–37 Discussing Europe Digital Discussion Events 38–41 Future of Remembrance Young Ambassadors Against Antisemitism Margot Friedländer Award 42–45 Celebrating Europe Schwarzkopf Europe Award Young European of the Year 46–53 Organisation Transparency Board & Circle of Friends Team Partners 4 This year, everything Together with our youth networks – the European Foreword was different. We have Youth Parliament, the Young Islam Conference, 5 been faced with the Understanding Europe, and our committed Young worrying rise of racism, Europeans – we have strengthened young voices antisemitism and and their topics. I would especially like to thank our extremism in our society, partners who make our work possible and those young people from different religious and cultural and at the same time dedicated young people who continue to shape backgrounds into the digital sphere. Starting this year, have been restricted by the Europe into a democratic, peaceful and pluralistic we are working on a new programme that makes pandemic in creating physical meeting places and society. platforms for young Europeans, as we usually do. innovative forms of social involvement visible and, In December 2020, Luisa Seiler took over as Executive together with the betterplace lab, we have established However, we have used these challenges to reflect Director of the Foundation as I have moved on to new a project office for the European Volunteering Capital on our work – recognising just how important civic professional endeavours. Before handing over the Berlin 2021. What’s more, our events – which usually education is – and trying to become even better. floor to her, I would like to say thank you once more involve young people meeting politicians, cultural We have asked ourselves what diversity-oriented to all the partners, colleagues and young people who creators and experts at our office in Berlin – were held educational work should look like and have found continue to inspire me to be a passionate European. online and were attended by around 10,000 young great alliance partners in the competence network Yours, people. Personally, I found our Zoom conference “Living Together in Migration Societies”. particularly moving; where we heard from a 99-year- old Holocaust survivor and patron of our Margot We digitalised our offerings; reaching out to young What was a challenging year for everyone now lies Friedländer Award about the living culture of remem- people all over Europe using platforms such as behind us. The Schwarzkopf Foundation, like many brance. It has become clear that intimate and valuable Instagram and YouTube, as well as hosting numerous other organisations, had to adapt its activities to moments for democracy are also possible in digital digital meetings where we fostered dialogue and acute challenges and rethink political education spaces. education on topics that are important to young Anne Rolvering and democracy-building. We have managed to do people – including Europe, the migration society, Former Executive Director of the Schwarzkopf Foundation As you can see, the challenges we have faced have also this fantastically through all of our networks and, democracy and youth participation. created opportunities for new and innovative forms of as a result, we were able to digitally bring together education and dialogue related to democracy. We will young people from all over Europe, enabling them keep these going, though we are especially looking to directly participate in politics and exchange forward to seeing you all again in person. I am very excited about the Young Islam Conference, which brings together ideas with decision-makers. moving Europe forward people from diverse backgrounds in Germany, and Thank you to all friends of the Schwarzkopf Foundation I thank you all very much for your great commitment. with the help of young, the Understanding Europe Network, uniting young for your commitment to our work towards an open, My special thanks goes to our partners, friends and pluralistic perspectives. educators from 12 countries. The future belongs to democratic society we want to live in. I can assure you supporters who have remained loyal to us in these them. By creating spaces and opportunities for young that all our efforts will be worthwhile. My experience in social difficult times. Without them, our work over the past people across Europe to step up and become active innovation and impactful year would not have been possible. in shaping their future, we can help define the next involvement strategies has interpretation of “unity in diversity” across Europe. The Foundation’s youth networks responded quickly In this spirit, Vive l'Europe! enabled me – together with our Foundation team – to these challenges. This is how the EYP’s Health to create an environment where young people’s I am very much looking forward to it! Until then, I hope Project came into being, where 100 young people potential and ideas are transformed into active you enjoy looking back on our 2020. from all over Europe networked digitally to formulate citizenship that shapes democratic societies. This is Yours, a young European response to health policy issues what the Schwarzkopf Foundation’s Young Europe for the very first time. Our peer educators from the stands for, and we want to continue working on this Understanding Europe Network digitalised their course over the coming years. We will succeed in promoting offerings for schools and independently developed a democratic, multicultural Europe that is shaped digital educational offers on topics related to Europe, André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf by young people thanks to the Foundation’s diverse diversity and the media. The Young Islam Conference Chairman of the Board networks and programmes such as the EYP, with over Luisa Seiler managed to bring the important meeting space of Schwarzkopf Foundation Young Europe 3,500 committed young people from all over Europe, Executive Director of the Schwarzkopf Foundation 2020 in numbers 6 7 over 100 videos 30 digital and in-person produced Understanding Europe courses on Europe, participation and media literacy 2.000.000 4 media in schools Budget over around 25.000 fellowships 3,500 active participants awarded volunteers reached 3 digital Summer Academies/Schools 3 awards (for the European Youth Parliament, to civically Young Islam Conference and 2 Understanding Europe) engaged publications Europeans completed activities in 40 countries 12 Young Ambassadors Against 19 new team Antisemitism trained 42 members 219 events across all 3 new over 400 topics cooperation programme Instagram on European partners lines channels affairs discussed Who we are Take a Strengthen European youth partici- angle pation 8 Our mission: The Schwarzkopf Foundation strives to empower young people from all backgrounds to 9 be active European citizens who contribute to a pluralistic, democratic society of mutual understanding, Provide Reflect on solidarity and peaceful collaboration in Europe. education on the diversity Our areas of focus democratic of Europe citizenship The dialogue platform Young Islam Conference promotes dialogue between young people of various As part of the backgrounds and takes up competence network questions of our migration “Living Together in Migration society. The youth- Our approach: The Schwarzkopf Foundation is guided by the values set out in its vision – open-mindedness, Societies”, we are committed to driven network European promoting the political participation and Youth Parliament brings tolerance, pluralism, democracy and solidarity. These values also shape the way the Foundation’s organisation, representation of young people of together young people from programmes and projects are managed. Living up to our values means: all origins. To do so, the Foundation offers across Europe to exchange consulting, training and dialogue services perspectives and debate the for educators, multipliers and volunteers Our offer pressing issues of our time with from the field of child and youth We offer young Europeans each other as well as with 1. Hearing young people first: Our work is based on closely with different stakeholders such as schools, welfare in the context of plura- experts and decision- opportunities for encounters, for lism and difference. makers. the issues and questions most relevant to our target universities, activists, civil society actors, politicians, knowledge exchange and for active group. the media, the private sector as well as other foundations. participation in civil society. We Our programmes and activi- promote the development of young 2. Learning through action and experience: 5. Impact orientation: Through their participation, young Europeans gain ties are guided by their potential for impact. We plan people into politically aware and valuable competences, understanding and know- and implement projects with the aims to achieve responsible individuals. We strengthen The peer ledge as well as the confidence to have