Schwarzkopf Foundation Annual Report 2018 by International Office of the European Youth Parliament

Contents 2

Foreword

AndrĂŠ Schmitz-Schwarzkopf, Chairman of the Board Anne Rolvering and Mandy Buschina, Executive Directors of the Schwarzkopf Foundation

Changing Europe

Meet people from our programmes

Discussing Europe

Discussion events in Berlin

Shaping Europe

European Youth Parliament

Discovering Europe

Seminars and travel grants across Europe

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

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

Activities in

Over

countries

cooperation partners

1.200

Over

50.000 participants

average age of team members

Over

280 young trainers

500

seminars across Europe at secondary and vocational schools

days of EYP activities

discussion events

open vote for the Young European of the Year

Annual Report 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

2.000.000 budget

national member organisations of the EYP

EYP events organised jointly with the UN Refugee Agency

110 travel grants

mentorship programme of the EYP

Over

2.000

youth conferences with newcomers and locals in Berlin and Brandenburg

hours of dialogue on Europe facilitated in European classrooms

More than

11.000 200.000 pupils contributing ideas for Europe

EYP alumni

seminar on Europe in a football stadium

Annual Report 2018

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

â&#x20AC;&#x153;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.â&#x20AC;? Dr. Franziska Giffey, speaker at a discussion event of the Schwarzkopf Foundation

Annual Report 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Creating spaces for dialogue and youth participation Interview with Dr. Franziska Giffey Dr. Franziska Giffey (SPD) is the Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth in Germany. She took part in a discussion event at the Schwarzkopf Foundation on November 13, 2018 titled, “Youth participation in politics – is my voice heard?” More information on the foundation’s discussion events can be found on pages 16-25.

Mrs. Giffey, you are the Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth in Germany. How did you start to get engaged politically? I was working as the commissioner for Europe in the Neukölln district of Berlin. At some point, I told myself that it’s not enough to stay in administrative work, because if you really want to change something, you have to get politically engaged. The decisive topic for me was the unequal opportunities children had in terms of education. Every year, we had around 15 percent of young people leave school without receiving a diploma. I joined the Social Democratic Party because making educational success independent from a person’s background is central to the SPD. I first became education counsellor, then mayor for the district. It has always been important to me to make sure that young people have an opportunity to develop their talents. This means that you have to provide support for this development from the state, too. What are, in your opinion, the biggest obstacles for young people to actively shape society? We have to open doors and show young people paths for getting engaged in society. One can start with small steps into this direction: as a young person, you can take part, for instance, in student council meetings and try to influence decisions that concern the school environment. We have to make sure that schools take political education seriously

and that young people know the possibilities that exist for becoming active. This is especially crucial for young people who face difficulties in life and who don’t necessarily get the best support at home. Those who struggle with basic problems might not necessarily be able to engage. They first need to get support from other people, school, and society. It’s important to create places where entering into a dialogue and creating new ideas is possible. For me, the Schwarzkopf Foundation is such a place since it facilitates coming together and talking about the biggest challenges of our time. Discussing a topic is a first step for creating change. What is your view on youth participation in Germany and Europe today? The challenge everywhere in Europe is to enhance education on democracy and political participation, but to also to take a clear stance against hate, incitement, and populism. Young people need to be able to form their own opinions through verified information and a variety of information channels. It’s possible then to point out concrete ideas for them on how they can shape their immediate environments. At the federal level as well, young people should be included in all decisions that concern them. I think that our ministry’s guiding principle, “no youth project without youth participation,” is excellent. With our support programme for children and youth, we spend almost 200 million euros per year financing children and youth projects and the work of youth parliaments. We give young people a voice as independent, growing, and self-determined individuals. What are your thoughts on the discussion event at the Schwarzkopf Foundation? From the audience’s interest and the questions, I got the feeling that the young people were fully present; that they had ideas and their own opinions about the world. I left inspired from the discussion. For this, I am very grateful.

Changing Europe: Meet people from our programmes

â&#x20AC;&#x153;As an active citizen, you initiate change or join change that has already started, and contribute to it with the best of your best abilities.â&#x20AC;? Vardges Shahmenendyan, president of the European Youth Parliament Armenia

Annual Report 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

On teamwork and revolutions Interview with Vardges Shahmenendyan

Vardges Shahmenendyan, 22, is the president of the National Committee of the European Youth Parliament in Armenia. He studies architecture and works at an architecture studio in Yerevan. More information on the European Youth Parliament can be found on pages 26-35.

Do you remember how you got involved in the European Youth Parliament? I am an architectural student and live in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. I have been doing EYP for four years now. It’s surreal to look back and realise how many things have changed in this time. Before, I thought of politics as something appalling and avoided contact with any organisations that had the word “parliament” in their name. However, in 2014, EYP Armenia organised an International Forum and I am quite interested in different cultures and people. I wanted to learn more about the other participants’ countries and to know about simple things, like what music they listened to. This overshadowed my fear of politics, so I applied as a participant. What do you think being a part of EYP has taught you? My understanding of political education has definitely changed. Today, I view it as a path where you can understand yourself as not a detached individual, but as part of society. This means that you need to work in a team to achieve a goal. In EYP, we live this every day. For each project, we gather in teams and set goals for ourselves. Every time, we are working together with different people who come from different backgrounds, and we all have to make compromises to decide about something. In my opinion, this is also how politics works. We all as individuals have different goals, but in society, we come together and sometimes need to adjust to a goal that’s bigger than our individual needs.

So you would say EYP encourages its participants to take an interest in society around them? Absolutely. I consider myself to be an active citizen now, and I try to be aware of what happens around me. When the Velvet Revolution took place in Armenia this year in April and May, I was still doing an exchange semester in Portugal. I was following the news about the protests on social media and watching live streams of the events. I felt so much responsibility for what was happening in Armenia at that moment, even though I wasn’t physically there. There are elections coming soon and I know I will encourage my friends to go and vote, too. It’s about being a part of the change and not just letting change wash over you. In what ways would you say EYP empowers young people? EYP is a platform where you decide what responsibilities and challenges you want to take on yourself. This idea of ownership of how you want to develop yourself as part of the organisation makes it different from any other experience. For example, when I was studying, I was unhappy about assignments that didn’t interest me, or that I had to complete in a specific way. I was also looking into joining some other organisations, but they required from you a certain work culture. In EYP, I feel that I can do things my own way. Here, contributions and taking responsibility are valued. As a young person, you can feed into a big organisation, but you get a lot of appreciation back. It allows you to take on challenges and stretch your comfort zone. You and the project you work on are always connected to others, and yet you still maintain ownership of your work. To conclude, what does activism mean to you? It can start from really small things – from expressing yourself, forming an opinion and making sure your opinion is heard - and then also listening to others. It makes it possible to understand what is going on around you. In general, I think activism is about taking responsibility for what you are doing and caring for the people you work with. As an active citizen, you initiate change or join change that has already started, and contribute to it with the best of your abilities.

Changing Europe: Meet people from our programmes

“Young people oftentimes think about themselves as those who don’t know enough about European politics, which often is not true.” Eden Gebregiorgisch, alumna of the project Understanding Europe

Annual Report 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Bringing Europe to the classroom Interview with Eden Gebregiorgisch

Eden Gebregiorgisch, 28, is an alumna of the project Understanding Europe. She facilitated courses on the EU, active citizenship, and European asylum politics with more than 400 young people in secondary and vocational schools in North Rhine Westphalia and Berlin. Today, she works as a junior professional at the German Commission for UNESCO. More information on the foundation’s seminars and travel grants can be found on pages 36-47. Eden, you were an active trainer in the seminar programme for three years. What are the most important things you learned during this time? If I look at my surroundings, it’s mostly always people who attend university. In my master’s studies, we learned to develop theoretical frameworks from above on the EU. As a trainer, I got to understand how people outside of my immediate network perceive the EU. These reactions, without devaluation, were sometimes completely different from my own. In my studies, I learned a lot about the EU, but throughout the journey, I realised that the experiences of young people concerning Europe were completely missing. I have learned that there is a wide range of ideas about the EU – from positive to negative. So, this experience opened my eyes to a diversity of perspectives and gave me the opportunity to step out from my own bubble. What kind of feedback did you get from the courses? The courses were viewed as an exit out of the normal school day. The pupils often said that they loved talking about Europe with us, since we, the trainers, were so young, almost their age. We tried to mention many concrete examples while doing the courses, which helped pupils see personal connections to what otherwise looked like the ‘EU bubble’.

Talking about how to get engaged in society, what is a remaining challenge we all need to work on when it comes to young people and the EU? Young people oftentimes do not know where and how to concretely engage in such topics. They also think about themselves as people who do not know enough about European politics, which often is not true. They are afraid of putting themselves out there and feel that they are, perhaps, in the wrong setting to do so. I think the EU is a very self-sufficient actor and young people feel as though they are removed from it. This feeling needs to be bridged. There should be more incentives for young people to take part in discussions about European issues. I think the big challenge is not necessarily a lack of knowledge, because basic knowledge is already there. It’s more about the EU’s communication and engagement with its citizens. The EU has to engage with those who may feel inhibited and are not necessarily taking initiative. One way to get rid of such obstacles is to organise events where “hard-toreach” people, like politicians, are close to where young people are, like schools. The Schwarzkopf Foundation is doing this, and young people actually attend because the foundation enables such events to happen. How do you encourage young people to get started if they want to engage with a certain topic? I would encourage them to see if there are more people who are passionate about the same topic(s) as them. It’s good to find companions! There are so many associations out there, so it’s worth connecting with others and seeing if one’s idea can be translated into activities. People and peers their age who have been engaged in their topic for a while can also give them advice on implementing their ideas. It’s also good to look for public support, for instance, by contacting local politicians, such as a mayor.

Changing Europe: Meet people from our programmes

“It’s all about the people and how many individuals you can bring together behind a cause.” Madeleina Kay, the Young European of the Year 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Annual Report 2018

EU Supergirl fighting Brexit Interview with Madeleina Kay Madeleina Kay, 24, was chosen as the Young European of Year 2018 by the Schwarzkopf Foundation. She is an artist, singer, and political activist who became known as “EU Supergirl” while campaigning against her country’s efforts to leave the EU. More information on the foundation’s awards can be found on pages 48-55.

Madeleina, you define yourself first and foremost as European, and not as British. Why is that? It was Brexit that made me think this way. Before the referendum happened, I used to do a lot of social activism with arts and worked with homeless people and young carers, so I always had a strong social and ethical conscience. When Brexit happened, I was sure it was going to impact all aspects of British society and be detrimental to those people who already suffer the most in the UK. We are not educated very well about politics in general and EU politics especially. The Brexit vote motivated me to start researching what exactly we were going to lose. The more I listened to political campaigners and to the news, the more I became absolutely determined to stop it, as a European, and not just as a Brit. What have you learned through your activism? People have the capacity to bring such joy to each other, or conversely, such harm and suffering. It’s important to bring communities together in a positive way, and to deal with differences and disputes through constructive dialogue and civility. This is why the first children’s book wrote after the Brexit vote was about refugees. There was a spike in hate crime against migrants and refugees at the time. I wanted to convey this idea that refugees are people, too, and that we should be supporting them, instead of seeing them as foreigners only. Many young people find it hard to take an interest in current affairs. What would you like to tell them? I created the character of EU Supergirl because it’s iconic and people recognise the superhero costume. It allows me

to start conversations with people who normally are not interested in politics. I try to use creativity and humour, since parodying and satirising the politicians makes people take them less seriously. When people enjoy something they are seeing that is funny and visual, they are more likely to share it and want to find out more about the subject. What are, for you, the first steps to getting engaged? The best is to start going to events about the subject you are interested in to get informed. Social media is so important for connections. It is also about building networks and finding people who care about the same things you do. It’s impossible to achieve anything on your own. As EU Supergirl, I also speak on behalf of a huge movement behind me. What does the award of Young European of the Year mean to you? I was really grateful to receive it. In the UK, we have a problem with the ‘Remain’ campaigns. They are trying to stop Brexit by putting out all those facts about why Brexit will be bad, but they also avoid mentioning the EU. My brand is EU Supergirl and I use a narrative about why the EU is great. To get acknowledgment from outside the UK is really motivating me to carry on. The award also makes what I do bigger than just Brexit. In the long term, the EU needs to change its approaches to communication and how it talks with its citizens. People don’t know how the EU benefits their lives and why it is essential that we support it. That is something I would like to get involved with in the future. What comes for you next? My campaigning is always about reacting to whatever is happening in politics. I think the relationship between the UK and the EU27 has been fundamentally damaged, and we need to do work to repair it. We should link people and create bridges when we have been burning them for the last two years. A lot of people think that politicians are the most important actors, but the politicians are our representatives. Without our support, they have nothing. It is all about the people and how many individuals we can bring together behind our cause.

“With its events, the Schwarzkopf Foundation offers something that schools cannot – direct contact to well-known persons from politics and society. Young people get to know the people who make decisions and shape Europe with their ideas. Without barriers, youth can freely ask their questions and talk to politicians, scientists, and contemporary witnesses. That’s the reason why I appreciate the foundation’s work so much.” Torsten Schmidtke, teacher

Annual Report 2018

Discussing Europe Discussion events in Berlin For young people to be active European citizens who contribute to a pluralistic, democratic society through their engagement and opinions, knowledge of relevant topics is just as important as discussing with others and being able to ask the questions that concern us most. During our Berlin-based discussion events, we aim to develop dialogue between young people and leading figures from the worlds of politics, the economy, civil society, and culture. In direct exchange with ambassadors, high-level politicians, journalists, Members of the European Parliament, European Commissioners, prime ministers, scientists, and artists, we offer the chance for participants to experience politics up-close and take part in political processes. The formats always provide a focus on audience questions and exchange rather than having long lectures without the possibility of engagement. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s topics included the EUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foreign relations, the future of work and the responsibility of companies for European ideas, current events, such as Brexit, and long-term visions for Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future. We discussed the roles of minorities, how to tackle the rise of populism, and gain insights into the work of civil society organisations who fight every day for a brighter future.

discussion events, talks, film screenings and exhibition visits

10.000 young people reached

70%

of the events fully booked

different cooperation partners

Discussing Europe: Discussion events in Berlin

A Year of Events A selection of our Berlin event programme in 2018

State of Europe speech with Heiko Maas, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Germany

“Africa, where to? Politics, economy, migration” with Dr. Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate, Ethiopian-German business consultant, author, and political analyst

“How youth can be engaged in politics” with Kevin Kühnert, Federal Chairman of the Jusos

“‘Velvet Revolution’ in Armenia – the younger generation in democratic awakening?” with Armen Sarkissian, S. E. President of the Republic of Armenia and Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe

“With satire against racism” with Die Datteltäter, Youtube stars and winners of the Grimme Online Awards 2017

Annual Report 2018

2018

Citizen dialogue with Margrethe Vestager, EU Commissioner for Competition

“The new Bundestag – more discussion more democracy?” with Petra Pau, Vice President of the German Federal Parliament

Citizen dialogue with Nathalie Loiseau, French Minister for European Affairs and Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe

“#MeToo and the consequences: How feminist are EU politics?” with Terry Reintke, German Member of the European Parliament

“The future of work in Germany and Europe” with Hubertus Heil, Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs in Germany

“Youth participation in politics – how will my voice be heard?” with Dr. Franziska Giffey, Federal Minister for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth in Germany

State of Europe speech with Koen Lenaerts, President of the European Court of Justice

Discussing Europe: Discussion events in Berlin

Decision-makers in dialogue with young people Tackling European topics from Brexit and the economy to foreign affairs and the future of work In our discussion events on European issues, we try to maintain a balance of current topics and more fundamental questions regarding the future of Europe. In 2018, Brexit was, notably, an important topic. We also looked closely at the Italian elections and discussed the challenges of the EU Council presidency. In addition, following the shift of global power due to the new foreign policies of the United States, we analysed the foreign relations of the European Union, particularly with Russia and the USA.

With Eurosceptic movements on the rise, the question of responsibility for the European idea – not only in politics and civil society, but also in business, commerce, and the entertainment industry – was a special focus during our discussions. The question of how Europeans will work in the future was also debated. Moreover, we discussed ways forward for a ‘Europe of regions’, bringing a variety of perspectives from our younger audiences. During two weekend workshops, young Europeans from 15 different countries worked on their personal visions for a better Europe, discussing topics such as digitalisation, the roles of rural areas, and the political structures and communication strategy of the European Union. A result of these workshops included a manifesto that was written on the future of Europe, which was given to EU officials, national politicians, and different media sources.

“Brexit and the consequences for Europe” with S. E. Sir Sebastian Wood, Ambassador of Great Britain in Germany

“Europe’s future and the responsibility of companies” with Ronald Pofalla, Member of the Board of Deutsche Bahn AG and former Federal Minister

“Russia and the EU – a difficult relationship” with Prof. Dr. Gabriele Krone-Schmalz, historian, author, journalist, and ARD correspondent in Russia

Annual Report 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

“Seeing Europe differently – Estonia” with Dr. Mart Laanemäe, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia in Germany

“Italy after the elections – between European worries and big promises” with Bernd Hüttemann, Secretary-General of EBD

“Europe’s economy and the responsibility for the young European generation” with René Obermann, Former Chairman of Telekom

“Historical speech to Europe – Egon Bahr’s last speech in Moscow” with Matthias Platzeck, former Prime Minister and Chairman of the German-Russian Forum e.V.

“#MeToo and the consequences – how feminist are EU politics?” with Terry Reintke, German Member of the European Parliament

“Journalism is not a crime – on the state of press freedom in Europe and the world” with Katja Gloger, spokesman of the executive board for Reporters without Borders e.V.

“Work 4.0 – How will Europeans work in the future?” with Frank Bsirske, Chairman of ver.di

“‘Europe of Regions’ – a model for the future?” with Dr. Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner, Minister of European, Federal, and International Affairs in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

“Berlin in Europe – Europe in Berlin” with Senator Dr. Klaus Lederer, Senator for Culture and Europe

Discussing Europe: Discussion events in Berlin

Discussing discrimination in Europe and building alliances How can we raise awareness regarding daily and structural experiences with racism and anti-Semitism? What are prejudices that individuals and groups in Europe still have to face? How can we become better allies and learn from perspectives that have been marginalised and not visible for centuries in European societies? In the discussion events, we tried to bridge different positions that show intersectional approaches and how activists, scientists, and government officials assess the current state of tolerance and acceptance for diversity and pluralism in Europe.

“Between demarcation and welcome – the challenges of integration in Germany” with Annette Widmann-Mauz, Minister of State in the Federal Chancellery and Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration

We tried to understand the motives and mechanisms behind populism, the longings of certain groups for authoritarianism and extremism, and the rise of anti-Semitic incidents within the last years. We discussed how preventive approaches against hate and extremism will need institutional funding in Europe in the years to come. Our audience also enjoyed a performance by a young Youtube collective that focuses on Muslim experiences and uses comedy as a form of empowerment to overcome hate and feelings of powerlessness.

“Sea rescue in the Mediterranean and the role of the EU” with Captain Dr. Klaus Vogel, Founding Chairman of SOS Méditerranée

“Anti-Semitism in Europe – what are the challenges facing the Israeli-German relationship?” with Jeremy Issacharoff, Ambassador of the State of Israel in Germany

“The role of religion in the globalised society” with Landesbischof Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, Chairman of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany

“Anti-Semitism in Germany” with Dr. Felix Klein, anti-Semitism commissioner of the German Federal Government

“Undercover with extremists: What is behind the anger?” with Julia Ebner, extremism and terrorism researcher and author

“With satire against racism” with Die Datteltäter, Youtube stars and winners of the Grimme Online Awards 2017

Annual Report 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Media and its impact on democracy The relationship between media and democratic processes has been a topic of our events in the past years. In 2018, the main focus was on the consequences of digitalisation in terms of the ways that information is shared, produced, and consumed; ranging from questions on how YouTube and other platforms deal with fake news and hate speech, to the future of public television in the digital era.

“Platforms, Social Media and Responsibility: What role do Google & Co. play?” with Sabine Frank, head of regulation, consumer, and youth protection for Google Germany GmbH

Visit of the Federal Press Office and discussion with Steffen Seibert, Government spokesman of the German Federal Government

“Justice and democracy in times of artificial intelligence and the role of the EU” with Paul Nemitz, Principal Adviser in the Directorate -General for Justice and Consumers of the European Commission

“The political discourse in the public media” with Dr. Peter Frey, journalist and Editor-in-Chief for ZDF

Discussing Europe: Discussion events in Berlin

Historical Education Learning from the past to understand the challenges of today

A historical understanding of Europe is essential to being a European citizen. In the field of historic education, the Schwarzkopf Foundation focuses on the past and present of anti-Semitism and the remembrance of Shoah. Especially with a newly elected right-wing populist party in the German parliament, the importance of Holocaust remembrance, information, and discussions about National Socialism, racism, and antisemitism are – regrettably – still important topics for today. In 2018, we offered a wide range of events for school and university students, including film and documentary screenings, readings, theatre visits, and talks with contemporary witnesses. We also addressed questions on how responsibilities grow from our history and what roles unusual actors like the entertainment industry or sports clubs can play in this context.

“Platform 17” commemorative event

Time witness talk with Ingeburg Geißler

“Abused – persecuted – betrayed” time witness talk with Horst Selbiger, author and Honorary Chairman of Child Survivors Deutschland e.V. – Überlebende Kinder der Shoah

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“Hertha BSC, the Holocaust, and the responsibility of German football today” panel discussion

“The social responsibility of the entertainment industry” with Nico Hofmann, director, film producer, screenwriter, and managing director of UFA GmbH

“’I don’t want a blueberry pie, I just want to get out.’ – a mother’s love in letters ” with Gabriel Heim, publicist, author, and film director

“Submerged: A young woman survives in Berlin 1940-1945” with Dr. Hermann Simon, historian and director of the New Synagogue Berlin Centrum Judaicum Foundation

“Grunewald in the Orient – the German-Jewish Jerusalem” with Thomas Sparr, author

“Jews in the GDR” with Salomea Genin, publicist and Marianne Birthler, former Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records

“Ab heute heißt du Sara” theatre visit

“Sweet Occupation” reading and discussion with Lizzie Doron, author

“After travelling to an EYP session, I realised that Europe is not determined by geography. Europe is in our mentalities, our cultures, and in our minds. It’s our connecting point.” Lesya, 20, Ukraine, travelled to an EYP session in Armenia

400+

100+

International, National, and Regional Sessions

Training events

Annual Report 2018

Shaping Europe European Youth Parliament All across Europe, the European Youth Parliament (EYP) gathers young people to discuss current challenges and solutions, provide a platform for dialogue as well as personal development, and to promote openmindedness. This year, EYP volunteers worked together to organise over 500 events at regional, national, and international levels. Participants engaged in intercultural encounters and explored ways to be active citizens, solved problems in collaborative ways, and formed friendships across borders. We continued our efforts to foster cooperation amongst the network of EYP member organisations. A â&#x20AC;&#x153;Code of Ethicsâ&#x20AC;? was adopted to strengthen the EYP as a safe and respectful learning environment. Priorities also included making our activities welcoming and accessible for all young people. The majority of EYP trainings conducted this year were peer-driven, meaning that young volunteers were at the heart of all our activities. 2018 also saw an increasing level of alumni engagement. Alumni events across Europe and a newly launched mentorship programme offered spaces for cross-generational experience exchange. As part of all EYP activities, participants gained experiences that will have long-lasting impacts on their personal and professional journeys.

30.000

annual participants

countries

3.500

active volunteers

500

annual events

Shaping Europe: European Youth Parliament

Developing collaboration formats in EYP Innovative partnerships in practice The European Youth Parliament is a unique educational platform that empowers young people from across Europe to be open-minded, active citizens. It provides participants with a range of opportunities to develop and express their opinions on relevant topics. Offering

various non-formal and peer-led educational activities, the EYP gives young people the space to grow, learn various skills, as well as take responsibility for themselves and for others.

International Sessions International Sessions bring together young people from the entire EYP network, and thus are the flagship events of the organisation. They serve as best practise showcases and laboratories for innovations in the network. With the support of the Mercator Foundation, we have been able to continuously improve the quality and impact of these events, ensuring that they entail long-term learning outcomes for all participants. The first International Session in 2018 took place in Vilnius, Lithuania. With the theme “Learning from the Past, Shaping the Future,” about 250 participants discussed a variety of topics, including questions concerning refugees and

stateless persons in Europe. The EYP’s continued cooperation with the UN Refugee Agency helped us to involve young refugees and stateless persons in our events, invite experts, as well as encourage participants to engage with the topic in in-depth, innovative manners. Another International Session in 2018 took place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with the financial support of the German Federal Foreign Office. It had a special focus on “Discovering Global Europe”. Discussion topics included foreign trade policy, but also global energy policy and transport. participants had a chance to discuss their ideas and possible solutions in a “citizens’ dialogue” with Violeta Bulc, EU Commissioner for Transport.

Citizen dialogue with Violeta Bulc, EU Commissioner for Transport, during the EYP International Session in Rotterdam

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Annual Report 2018

Power Shifts – Reflecting Europe’s Energy Project In 2018, we re-launched the Power Shifts – Reflecting Europe’s Energy project that successfully started between 2015-2017. In cooperation with our long-term partner, innogy Stiftung für Energie und Gesellschaft, a second project cycle was kicked off for a three-year cooperation between 2018-2021. This project encourages young people to explore and discuss European energy policies. By taking part in the project’s activities, participants learn ways of engaging and fostering debate on energy in their communities, from a local up to a European level. The Power Shifts project not only brings energy topics to all International Sessions, but also supports regional and national-level energy-related events across the network through the Power Shifts Fund. Apart from strengthening energy education in the EYP, the project fosters an innovative spirit in the network through capacity-building and co-creation formats, such as EYP’s first Media Lab and future annual Innovation Labs. Discussing the future of energy during committee work

Building a Strong European Society (BASES) in countries of the Eastern Partnership The BASES project is run by the European Youth Parliament in cooperation with the German Federal Foreign Office. The project aims to enhance dialogue and mutual understanding as well as broaden cooperation amongst members of civil society in the countries of the Eastern Partnership. In order to achieve these goals, the project focuses on strengthening the EYP network in the region by developing a variety of formats and events focused on regional needs and trends, including capacity-building activities and by offering travel grants. In 2018, 15 events were organised by EYP volunteers in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Russia, and Ukraine. This year also marked the celebration of EYP Georgia’s 10th anniversary and EYP Belarus’s 20th anniversary. The event in Minsk was one of the first EYP sessions organised in Belarus in the last 10 years. Eight training events in the region allowed for young volunteers to enhance their skills and take up various responsibilities within the EYP network. The project continued removing accessibility barriers by distributing about 180 travel grants to young people who face financial challenges due to the economic situations in their countries. This allowed them to participate in EYP activities and experience intercultural exchanges abroad. Building friendships across borders during an EYP session in Minsk

Shaping Europe: European Youth Parliament

Debating current challenges and solutions Young people in dialogue with experts and decision-makers The European Youth Parliament offers young people spaces to debate the pressing topics of our time and to jointly suggest solutions. Participants develop and express their opinions on a wide range of topics, often related to international politics or human rights, but also including fields such as climate change, health, and energy. EYP discussions do not aim to reflect specific country positions or promote existing policy proposals. In all debates, it is the participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; own points of view that matter. Each year, dozens of experts and decision-makers from a variety of sectors are invited to offer their perspectives at EYP events. These contributors provide background knowledge and share hands-on experiences, giving participants unique opportunities to engage in close-up conversations and gain new insights. Discussing the European response to the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel region of Africa with Zainab Akariou, Policy Officer at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

We often feel like we are entitled to our opinions. But quite often, these opinions are a result of misinformation. Thanks to EYP, I have learned that if we want to engage in constructive discussions, we really need to go back and check the sources; check the facts. Sometimes my reasoning and logic might not be clear to another person. But when I explain the reasoning behind my statement, I think it also helps others to understand me and my culture. I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important especially for young people to engage in programmes like EYP because that is how we become more open and active as a society, and have more of an understanding of each other. Aliaa Adi, a refugee from Syria who participated in the International Session in Rotterdam

Annual Report 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

A selection of topics discussed at EYP events in 2018

How to ensure equal access to education and the labour market for youth with migration backgrounds?

What is the future of energy in Europe?

Can the Universal Basic Income approach help in reforming the welfare state?

How to safeguard citizensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rights to privacy and security and at the same time allow for the growth of the digital economy?

How to safeguard freedom of speech in the era of social media and fake news?

How to protect linguistic diversity in Europe?

How to protect the fundamental rights of stateless persons?

How to utilise communication technology to improve governance in Europe?

How to promote stable mental health among young people in Europe?

How to solve the plastic waste problem?

Shaping Europe: European Youth Parliament

EYP Alumni initiative Network across generations

In 2018, the European Youth Parliament continued its efforts to build up an ever-growing alumni network initiative. This year we kicked off the Alumni Association with a Steering Group of former EYPers who are now experienced professionals across all sectors of society. In June 2018, an international alumni reunion brought together about 60 former EYPers from several generations. The aim of the reunion was to revive EYP spirit and discuss the future of EYP alumni activities. A mentorship programme was initiated to provide a platform for cross-generational experience exchange and knowledge-sharing in the EYP network. Furthermore, an alumni crowdfunding campaign was launched giving EYP alumni the opportunity to directly support the network. Moreover, happy hours took place across the globe to strengthen alumni ties, from Washington to Shanghai.

Mentorship programme In 2018, one of the noteworthy milestones for alumni activities was the launch of the first-ever EYP mentorship pilot programme. The programme provides the alumni of the network with a chance to contribute to the personal development of current EYP participants. The aim is to bring together young EYPers who are beginning their professional careers (and are, for example, finishing their studies and are applying for their first jobs) with EYP alumni who are already experienced and can share their expertise with the current EYP generation. This year, 18 tandems from 16 countries have met to begin this mentorship venture.

The first EYP alumni reunion took place in Berlin in June 2018

Annual Report 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Meet a mentee, Isidora Šmigić from Serbia and her mentor, Katharina Okulski from Austria who participated in the first-ever EYP mentorship programme. Why did you decide to partake in the EYP mentorship programme? Isidora: I have met an incredible number of inspiring, successful, and ambitious people during my five years of involvement in the EYP network and I can’t think of a better pool of young professionals who can support me in the early stages of my career development. Katharina: I have dear memories from my time in the EYP and I still relate today to the many challenges that young people are facing to find their place and career paths. I want to share my experiences, including the best and the worst; what worked for me and what didn’t. I am also eager to learn about current EYP experiences: what are the concrete problems that EYPers face today, and how do they use the skills they acquired in EYP on a day-to-day basis? What is fascinating to see is that, although many things have changed over the years, the young people of today are still dealing with some of the same core issues, such as finding out what they want, what they are good at, and how to find purpose so that they can contribute best to making the world a better place.

How do you want to use this mentorship experience? Isidora: Above all, I expect to be able to have a second opinion about my professional plans and career decisions from a trustworthy person who was in my shoes not that long ago. I think that this mentorship offers me a great space for self-reflecting, and I am very excited to explore the possibilities that my communication with Katharina will bring! Katharina: For me, the main driver is the opportunity to help young EYPers by sharing my life experiences, mistakes, and success. I also would like to help them make sound choices and hopefully inspire them to challenge themselves and determine their goals. I am expecting to benefit from the same, and gain insights from fresh outlooks on the Europe of today through the eyes of those who will lead it tomorrow. I want to use this energy and inspiration to gain a new perspective on my personal life and development, as well.

Alumni happy hours EYP alumni happy hours are informal reunion events inviting all former EYPers to reminisce about EYP, share their experiences, and network in the city they are based. It is organised by alumni, for alumni.

Washington

Liverpool

Brussels

Paris

Hamburg

Prague

Berlin

Thessaloniki

Kyiv

Athens

Kazan

Shanghai

Shaping Europe: European Youth Parliament

Capacity-building events Strengthening the EYP network

In order for the activities of the ever-growing EYP network to be sustainable, the network needs knowledge, resources, and fruitful exchanges of ideas. The EYP National Committees and the EYP International Office, supported by the Mercator Foundation, the German Federal Foreign Office and the EU programme “Erasmus+” help develop the network through capacity-building events that aim to equip participants with the necessary attitudes, skills, and knowledge needed to successfully run and develop projects in their respective countries.

Capacity-building in EYP covers many areas, from diversity and outreach, to communication and media, fundraising, organisation management, trainings for trainers, facilitators, and much more. Moreover, active EYP members can publish guides to solidify existing knowledge and can hold webinars to educate and spread good practices across the network.

“The Training for EYP Trainers format nourishes

“The Leadership Weekend for National Committee

the abilities of our organisation to create fruitful

Presidents made me realise that all NCs, no matter

learning experiences. It was truly amazing to see

how different, are faced with similarly challenging sit-

how passionate our members are about learning in

uations and that by establishing further cooperation

EYP, and I am looking forward to seeing their projects

and by working together, we can come up with the

become a reality!”

most effective strategies for tackling them!”

Nataliia Senatorova, trainer for Training

Dionysis Patriarcheas, participant in the Leadership

for EYP Trainers

Training for National Committee Presidents

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Schwarzkopf Foundation

Over

130

training events in 2018

Over

2.500 participants

EYP National Committees participated in trainings

A selection of EYP training events in 2018

Diversity Lab Russia, August The EYP embraces and celebrates the diversity of the European continent, and is open to all young people across Europe. During the Diversity Lab 2018 in Moscow, representatives from 12 member organisations of the EYP gathered to discuss how to make the network more inclusive for youth from all regions, backgrounds, and cultures, as well as make EYP activities more accessible to those who are facing obstacles.

Training for EYP Trainers Ukraine, August Training for EYP Trainers is a 7-day training course for EYPers who would like to facilitate learning processes in the organisation. Training trainers within EYP enhances the organisation’s capacities, professionalises the broad array of trainings held by National Committees, and is integral to passing on knowledge and ‘know-how’ from the past to future generations.

Summer Academy Serbia, September The Summer Academy gathers participants from all EYP countries, offering modules in communication, outreach and inclusion, fundraising, and committee management. The aim is then for Summer Academy participants to become multipliers of the acquired knowledge in their home countries.

Leadership Training for National Committee Presidents Germany, October 2018 kicked off the first official Presidents’ Meeting under the theme of ‘leadership’. The aim of these trainings is to equip National Committee Presidents with the necessary skills, attitudes, and knowledge needed to successfully run their committees.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Understanding the European project is an area not sufficiently implemented in the common school curricula. Participating in educating the future generation in this field is therefore an honour, but also a passion.â&#x20AC;? Viktor, from Ukraine, trainer and project coordinator for Understanding Europe

Annual Report 2018

Discovering Europe Seminars and travel grants across Europe Discovering Europe through the travel and seminar programme of the Schwarzkopf Foundation offers a participatory space for young people to engage with democracy and diversity in Europe. Not only by crossing borders. But also by bringing people together, who might normally not have met. By facilitating formats that enable listening and understanding of European democracy and youth participation within the classroom and beyond. The seminar programme supports and advises young multipliers in creating their own inclusive and diversity-oriented peer projects. In 2018, the programme qualified 282 seminar trainers and regional coordinators from 14 countries to bring the peer project Understanding Europe to secondary and vocational schools across Europe. Our travel grants seek to enable young people from different backgrounds to explore and discover their continent while tackling current political or social questions. By travelling, grantees become ambassadors of a united Europe. This year, thanks to extended partnerships, we gave out a record number of 110 travel grants.

11.360

2.120

110

282

pupils engaged with our peer project Understanding Europe

trainers and coordinators active in 14 countries qualified in 22 train-the-trainer events

hours of dialogue on Europe facilitated in European classrooms

seminars and youth conferences on active citizenship with newcomers and locals in Berlin and Brandenburg

travel grants

seminar on Europe in a football stadium

Discovering Europe: Seminars and travel grants across Europe

Mapping the peer project Understanding Europe With young peer coordinators, trainers, and pupils The peer education approach is crucial to strengthening the ownership of the project Understanding Europe. During the first-ever Head Trainer Summit in June 2018, a transnational head trainers team from 12 countries was trained on how to plan, run, and evaluate train-the-trainer events. Moreover, the qualification focused on crucial competencies and skills within Democratic Citizenship Education and how to set up active learning environments for participants with different needs. Understanding Europe is a pan-European project run by the Schwarzkopf Foundation in cooperation with the European Youth Parliament, the Mercator Foundation, and the TUI Foundation and is co-funded by the German Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth as part of the federal programme “Demokratie leben!” (Democracy Living!). By the end of 2018, 21 train-the-trainer events were conducted by head trainers, together with their respective regional and country coordinators.

We asked some of the new head trainers what motivated them to join the project. “The significance of projects like Understanding Europe lies in the idea of peer education. Based on the experiences of peer trainers just like me, the project equips youth with knowledge about European history, politics, and decision-making. This is especially important in Armenia – one of the easternmost countries participating in the project. Seeing the enthusiasm and eagerness of participants to learn motivates me to continue being involved in conducting and organising crash courses and train-the-trainer events in Yerevan and remote Armenian regions.” Levon, head trainer and project coordinator from Armenia “Understanding Europe and the courses allow for students to learn from one another, and this is what excites me the most about this project.” Queenstar, head trainer from the Netherlands

Annual Report 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

“Firstly, Understanding Europe signifies a great contribution to the awareness of teenagers and youth about current European affairs. It inspires trainers to conduct more and more workshops, get deeper into these topics, and explain such topics to those who are excited about them (and if the pupils are not excited, to excite them!). Secondly, being a member of the Understanding Europe project opens other sides of your mind. You suddenly remember your own school years and try to choose the best possible approaches. You apply media resources, build a team, elaborate a strategy, and gain attention.”

“I’m active in the Understanding Europe project because I am a firm believer in the importance of civic education and democratic citizenship education as fundamental aspects of (high) school education. Unfortunately, my personal high school experience and what I could witness through my Understanding Europe trainer experience is that in my home country of Germany, these aspects are oftentimes given very little attention in curricula and when they are covered, the methods and teaching styles being applied oftentimes do not correspond well with students’ needs, interests, and potential insecurities.”

Oleksandra, head trainer from Ukraine

Lydia, head trainer from Germany

Discovering Europe: Seminars and travel grants across Europe

Bringing inclusive learning experiences to the classroom Teaching methods and materials on Europe Questions that pupils ask in the classroom help our seminar trainers to adapt our learning methods and develop materials that meet the interests and needs of our different learners.

2018 in PUPILS’ questions: “How does Brexit affect us?” The Netherlands

“Will Turkey ever join the EU?” Austria

“How can the EU protect itself from Russian aggression if it does not have an army?” Ukraine

“What measures is the EU taking in relation to the recent terror attacks?” Portugal

Illustration by Friederike Schlenz from our materials on milestones of European (dis)integration

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Together with didactical experts on inclusion and anti -discrimination, our seminar trainers developed new teaching materials on Europe for diverse learners. During a creativity workshop held in Berlin in June 2018, peer trainers from Germany, Armenia, and Portugal developed initial ideas on how to make the Understanding Europe course formats meet different learner needs. With the additional support of didactical experts for inclusion,

Annual Report 2018

the peer trainers generated concrete methods, materials, and strategies for action in the months that proceeded. In addition, further outreach formats were set up in cooperation with Lernort Stadion e.V., the Center for Inclusive Civic Education, the Deutsche Filmakademie e.V., SchĂźler treffen FlĂźchtlinge e.V., a German youth NGO e.V., SOS Kinderdorf, and the Leo Baeck Institute.

Discovering Europe: Seminars and travel grants across Europe

Empowering young people to create meeting places From a youth conference to a movie premiere With two youth conferences and a film and media seminar, we supported young people in developing their own ideas on how to facilitate integration within their communities. In cooperation with the Mercator Foundation, 70 vocational students took part in a participation dialogue in Siegen, Germany in November. Facilitated by the Schwarzkopf Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s peer trainers and coached by experts in participation, the students developed their own political demands and strategies for working towards them. One group of participants decided to be journalists for the event and interviewed the others about their work.

Another youth conference, Aktion Zukunft 2018 brought together 30 pupils with and without refugee backgrounds from all over Germany to discuss how to implement their own initiatives that support integration as a process from both sides. The first phase phase included a seminar about how participants can implement projects in their own communities. This also included workshops from from various NGOs, UNHCR, and changemakers who are leading their fields of work. During the second phase of the project, participants received funding and support from organisers and partners to successfully establish their initiatives. Participants also received stipends from sponsors that covered all costs related to the seminar.

Participation dialogue in Siegen

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Annual Report 2018

Creating short movies on the topic of diversity in Europe

The seminar programme also cooperated for a second time with the Deutsche Filmakademie e.V. and bilderbewegen e.V. to bring together 30 vocational students with and without refugee backgrounds for a film and media seminar. During this seminar, participants created short movies on the topic of diversity in Europe. These projects have also been made possible with support from the German Ministry for

Family, Seniors, Women and Youth and the federal programme “Demokratie Leben!”. Aktion Zukunft 2018 was implemented by the award-winning NGO, Schüler Treffen Flüchtlinge e.V. (Students Meet Refugees). Schüler Treffen Flüchtlinge e.V. is supported by Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and several other funding partners.

Aktion Zukunft 2018

Discovering Europe: Seminars and travel grants across Europe

Travel Grants Young ambassadors for a united Europe

This year, the Schwarzkopf Foundation enabled 110 young people to leave their home countries and experience European diversity firsthand. For this Discovering Europe programme, the foundation continued cooperation with Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA), Airbnb Germany, Deutsche Bahn and Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung. Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (bpb) also became a partner this year. All project partners selected one or more topics to be given attention to by travel grantees. We worked jointly with our project partners to launch a call for applications. As a result, roughly 1.000 applications were received from youth from all parts of the continent.

After selecting the travel grantees, we worked closely with the young travellers and helped them to prepare their journeys, focus their research endeavours, and hand in their final reports upon returning home. Something new this year was the inclusion of two hands-on workshops for the bpb travel grantees. The first workshop featured a number of preparatory sessions, including how to write a report, how to use social media, how to conduct an interview, and how to travel alone, which supported the travel grantees’ abilities to conduct valuable first-hand research on the road. The second workshop provided a forum for participants to share their experiences and insights and put together their research reports as part of a bigger picture.

110 travel grants

This year’s travel grantees represented a wide array of home countries, backgrounds, and perspectives. They made their way through Europe in a time of political tensions, a noticeable rise of populism, as well as precarious employment situations for many young women and men. Some of these issues were reflected upon in their research reports. The travel grantees reported back that young Europeans particularly share benevolent perspectives on the

European idea, but feel that youth issues are largely ignored, and that there is an imbalance of access regarding European mobility. The travellers were not shy to engage in multiple interviews with complete strangers, including politicians and local officials. A newly created Facebook page and an Instagram channel were made available for travel grantees to share photos, comments, and highlights from their trips and inspire others to experience the diversity of the European continent.

Annual Report 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Travel Grants Topics and Partners

Topic:

Populism in Europe

Partner: Bundeszentrale fĂźr

politische Bildung (bpb)

Topic:

Sustainable Europe

Partner: Airbnb Germany

Topic:

Open borders in Europe

Partner: Deutsche Bahn

Topic:

How do young people cope with crises?

Partner: Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung

Topics:

Digitalisation in the workforce, vocational training in Europe, the effect of open borders, and combatting climate change

Partner: Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen ArbeitgeberverbĂ¤nde (BDA)

Discovering Europe: Seminars and travel grants across Europe

Europe through the eyes of our travel grantees This year’s travel grantees represented a wide array of home countries, backgrounds, and perspectives. They made their way through Europe in a time of political tensions, a noticeable rise of populism, as well as precarious employment situations for many young women and men. Some of these issues were reflected upon in their research reports.

What was the biggest surprise for you while travelling? I was taken aback by the fact that industry professionals – across the film and TV industries in Portugal, Sweden, and Hungary – were so generous with their time, open and candid about their experiences, and overwhelmingly receptive to my research. What challenges did you face during your travels, and how did you overcome them? Maneuvering between back-to-back interviews in foreign cities – given my already questionable navigational abilities – proved to be a challenge! I’m very thankful for Google Maps! What will you take away from this experience, or in what ways are you planning to build on it in the future? While there are lots of initiatives and individuals working towards diversity and inclusion across the European film and TV industries, many approaches do not consider an intersectional perspective. It’s important to consider how gender inequality affects those belonging to overlapping social identities (ethnic, cultural, sexual, and physical), and how this can contribute to specific types of oppression and discrimination, as well as lead to different outcomes in cultural representation. Julia Saubier, from France and the Philippines, researched the topic “Europe’s image of diversity and inclusion.”

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Annual Report 2018

“In Greece, a stable and great source of income has always been tourism. Travelling to smaller islands, I wanted to investigate the impact digitalisation has had for small business owners on these remote islands. Turns out, it has made a huge difference, and has actually saved some of their lives! Digitalisation in Greece has really helped save small business owners who work with tourism. It provides small businesses with a way to market themselves.” Eleonor Ängek, Sweden – “The impact of digitalisation on small business owners on remote Greek islands”

“Many young Spaniards go to university to protect themselves from unemployment. I feel sorry for the Spanish youth, because many of them do not have the same opportunities as some would have in Germany, even though they are very open-minded and hardworking. Spain or even the EU should invest more money into the education of young people, because this generation will determine the economic future as well as the peaceful coexistence of the continent’s people.” Mathias Wehrle, Germany – “Vocational training in Spain”

“While it is clear to me that museums are great tools of communication and education, there are many issues with them in the countries that I visited. Namely, museums often have high entrance fees, making them inaccessible to the general public – especially those in the lower classes who, you may argue, could benefit the most from them. Often, museums are geared more at tourism than the local people and thus lack an aspect of education. Museums can be a great tool for education, however, the most important tool is individuals talking to each other and sharing personal stories.” Justyna Mlynarczyk, Poland – “EU through spectacles: The role of museums in combatting populist politics in Europe” “I decided to go to the Mediterranean countries this summer to see how people manage to stay sustainable in the areas where they have an abundance of fruits, vegetables, and sunshine. In my research, I was mostly focusing on plant-based eating, maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle while travelling, and how to travel in an environmentally friendly way. I have seen and lived through so many amazing experiences and this would not have been possible without the travel grant.” Petra Horvath, Hungary – “How can we travel the world without harming the planet?”

Annual Report 2018

Celebrating Europe Awards and celebrations Through our prizes and festivities, the Schwarzkopf Foundation offers a space for treasuring what is beautiful, what is unique, and what is worth cultivating in Europe. With our annual awards, we highlight the work of individuals who and institutions that tirelessly reach for brighter futures for our continent. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Schwarzkopf Europe Award honored a high-ranking EU official who does not back down, even when facing powerful organisations. The 2018 Young European of the Year Award went to an activist who also does not shy away from using various channels and venues for political changemaking in Europe. Their inspiring examples showcase how individuals can indeed make a difference in European politics and societal developments. With the Margot FriedlĂ¤nder Award, we made young perspectives on remembrance work visible and their fights against anti-Semitism and discrimination heard. As such, we connect young awardees with activists, curators, and scientists engaged in these issues. Finally, at our yearly Summer Party and Christmas concert, we brought young Europeans together in a festive atmosphere to celebrate Europe.

Celebrating Europe: Awards and celebrations

The Schwarzkopf Europe Award 2018 Margrethe Vestager The 2018 Schwarzkopf Europe Award went to the European Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager. Commissioner Vestager from Denmark was selected as this year’s recipient by a jury of former awardees of the Young European of the Year award. The jury was particularly impressed by Commissioner Vestager’s bold stance on defending European laws and institutions and her relentless efforts to establish close connections between the European Union and her citizens. André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf, chairman of the Schwarzkopf Foundation, remarked: “Margrethe Vestager is admired by young people especially for her courage. We are very happy to extend the Schwarzkopf Europe Award to a strong role model.”

The award ceremony took place in Berlin at the Representation of the European Commission in Germany. Before the ceremony, Commissioner Vestager held a citizen dialogue with young people. She also gave a passionate speech underscoring the importance of active European civil society, while also highlighting the need to empower women across the continent. In the weeks after the ceremony, we were delighted to hear of Commissioner Vestager’s strong support of the work of the Schwarzkopf Foundation when she remarked: “No one has a bigger stake in Europe’s future than our young people. And the Schwarzkopf Foundation helps to make sure their voices are heard. The programmes of the foundation bring young people together with European decisionmakers to learn how the European part of their democracy works, and to share their opinions. It helps them to understand what it really means to work together in Europe by getting them involved in the European Youth Parliament. And by doing that, the Schwarzkopf Foundation helps to secure the future of democracy.”

Margrethe Vestager (right), the awardee of the Schwarzkopf Europe Award 2018 and Nozizwe Dube (left), the Young European of the Year 2017 at the award ceremony in Berlin

Annual Report 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Young European of the Year 2018 Madeleina Kay As in previous years, the 2018 recipient of the Young European of the Year award was chosen as part of a two-fold process. In the fall of 2017, nominations for the award were collected online, of which the Schwarzkopf Foundation received more than eighty. After a pre-selection by Schwarzkopf staff, the final nominees were invited to Berlin for a personal interview. As we continued cooperation on this award with both the European Youth Forum (EYF) and the Representation of the European Commission in Germany, the jury featured a representative from the EYF, the European Commission, as well as the two previous award recipients, and one Schwarzkopf representative. With all final nominees being strong and worthy of recognition, the jury eventually decided to award Madeleina Kay from the United Kingdom. The 24-year old activist, artist, writer, and performer has made headlines by actively campaigning against Brexit. She engages the public in several ways, by writing

and performing songs on her guitar, collecting and distributing British letters to Europe, organising campaigning events, and authoring a book on the diversity of the European Union through the eyes of her dog, Alba White Wolf. André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf, chairman of the Schwarzkopf Foundation’s board and chair of the jury, remarked: “Madeleina Kay is a perfect choice for this year’s award. She is unorthodox, fiercely European, and creative. She managed to get attention and affect change outside of a traditional career path of many pro-Europeans. She gives us hope for the future.” The award ceremony was held as part of this year’s European Youth Event of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. Madeleina used her time onstage to perform a number of her own pro-European songs, which she performed again two weeks later to the delight of our guests during the 2018 Summer Party.

Madeleina Kay and André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf at the award ceremony in Strasbourg

Celebrating Europe: Awards and celebrations

Margot Friedländer Award 2018 Supporting the development of young perspectives “The Margot Friedländer Award makes an important contribution to raising future generations’ awareness of history and its consequences and, therefore, also of the present and its challenges. This is why we remember! In order to arm ourselves against ostracism and antiSemitism, against populism and all forms of racism.” Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble, President of the German Bundestag Since 2014, the Margot Friedländer Prize calls on young people and pupils to research the Holocaust, its witnessing, and develop projects to counter anti-Semitism, racism, and ostracism today. Projects are awarded that have not yet been completed. This award is made possible by the German Ministry for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth as part of the project “Demokratie leben!”, Ernst & Young and the Berliner Sparkasse.

On March 6, 2018, the President of the German Bundestag, Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble, and Margot Friedländer awarded three school projects from Hamburg, Braunschweig, and Rochlitz, Germany. The award ceremony was held at Max Liebermann Haus in Berlin and was attended by over 150 guests. Awarded with first place in 2018, pupils from the Jewish Joseph Carlebach School in Hamburg developed an app to recreate the Bornplatz Synagogue, which was destroyed by the Nazis. In addition, they initiated a number of guided tours and outreach projects with other pupils. The second place award was given to pupils from Nibelungen Braunschweig who conducted interviews and completed a research project to accompany the official commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the deportation of Braunschweig’s Sinti people. The third prize was awarded to the project “Never again” from the middle school An der Mulde in Rochlitz, Saxony. As part of this project, ten junior high school students worked on a newspaper about Jewish life. For the first time, the awardees were able to take part in a seminar in Berlin with guided tours and expert talks on remembrance and anti-discrimination. Additionally, artists and educators mentored the recipients of the award and advised them in the realisation of their projects. A Young Jury for the Award was also established this year that will advise the jury decisions for 2019 from a youth perspective.

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Annual Report 2018

“What is this prize for? Not for success in sports or writing a good essay. It is rather in recognition of something of boundless importance – your humane engagement.” Margot Friedländer

President of the German Bundestag, Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble, Margot Friedländer, and chairman of the board, André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf

Celebrating Europe: Awards and celebrations

Annual Celebrations

In June 2018, the European Summer Party gathered around 500 international guests outside of the Schwarzkopf Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office in Berlin. The celebration included a performance by the Young European of the Year 2018, Madeleina Kay.

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Annual Report 2018

The Christmas concert in 2017 at the Sophienkirche in Berlin

The annual Christmas concert, held on December 11, 2018, gathered Christmas tunes and traditions from all corners of Europe into one festive evening. This year, more than a dozen different languages were heard on stage.

Sophie Rois during the Christmas concert in 2017

The Circle of Friends | The Board

The Circle of Friends The Circle of Friends of the Schwarzkopf Foundation offers support to the work of the foundation, ensuring its vital functions and bringing different sectors of society closer to the foundation – such as academia, arts, politics, and the private sector. Those who join the Circle of Friends support the foundation financially, and thereby give substantial assistance to the foundation’s core business. The Chairperson of the Circle of Friends is Sophie Rois. Are you interested in joining the Circle of Friends and supporting the Schwarzkopf Foundation? We warmly invite you to get in touch via: freundeskreis@schwarzkopf -stiftung.de to find out more about the Circle of Friends and to become a member.

“I truly support the vision of an open, solidary, and democratic Europe that the Schwarzkopf Foundation stands for. I have decided to join the Foundation’s Circle of Friends and support it on a regular basis to allow the foundation to reach out to even more young people from different backgrounds and help them recognise their power to shape the world around them in a positive way. It is a pleasure to see that the organisation I support continually contributes to young people’s voices being heard, as well as to the strengthening of democratic thinking and mutual understanding.” Sophie Rois, Chairperson of the Circle of Friends

Annual Report 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

The Board LL.D. André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf Chairman of the Board

Theo Koll

Prof. Dieter Kosslick, M.A

Georg Fahrenschon

Member of the Board Director of the editorial office in Paris at ZDF

Member of the Board Festival Director of the Berlin International Film Festival

Member of the Board

Dr. Michael Maßbaum

Tobias Bütow

Dr. Eric Schweitzer

Hans-Christian Schwarzkopf

Sophie Hall

Dr. Ekkehard Nümann

Member of the Board Deloitte

Member of the Board Entrepreneur

Member of the Board Chairman of the Board of the German-French Cultural Centre in Nice

Member of the Board Political Science Student

Member of the Board President of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Member of the Board Notary

The Team

Anne Rolvering Executive Director

Mandy Buschina Executive Director

Lukas Fendel

Programme Lead European Youth Parliament

Lena Prötzel

Programme Lead Seminars

Tobias Frietzsche

Vincent Herr

Barbara Pąkowska

Heiko Seiser

Katharina Schwarz

Vanessa Schmidt

Vanessa Michalak

Viviane Efert

Thimo Nieselt

Kerstin Eckart

Bernard Dröge

Programme Lead Events

Project Assistant Administration

Project Manager Understanding Europe

Programme Lead Awards and Travel Grants

Volunteer Administration and Communication

Project Manager Understanding Europe International

Communication Manager

Volunteer Administration and Communication

Project Manager Seminars

Head of Administration

Project Lead Understanding Europe

Aya Ruzycki

Project Manager Seminars Team Margot Friedländer Award

Annual Report 2018

Schwarzkopf Foundation

Frieda Metzkow

Lena Strehmann

Project Assistant Seminars

Alice Leone

Monika Seidel

Project Assistant Seminars

Project Manager European Youth Parliament

Valeriya Boyko

Anya Suprunenko

Marilou Pelmont

Helena Karnitskaya

Project Manager European Youth Parliament

Project Coordinator for Organisational Development and Capacity Building European Youth Parliament

Tuna Dökmeci

Isidora Šmigić

Alexandra Batea

Simon Häuser

Lilian Leifert

Rabea Gottwald

Elisa Mauke

Project Manager European Youth Parliament

Human Resources Assistant European Youth Parliament

European Volunteer European Youth Parliament

Project Assistant Awards and Travel Grants

Volunteer Events

European Volunteer European Youth Parliament

Volunteer Events

Our team’s countries of origin Germany Ukraine France

Romania Greece Turkey

Poland Belarus Italy Serbia

Israel

Personal Assistant to the Chairman of the Board

The languages we speak

ola

English German French

Polish Turkish Serbian

Greek Dutch Portuguese

Spanish Russian Italian Ukrainian

Czech Belarusian Hebrew Romanian

Lithuanian Tok Pisin Sign Language

Partners and Sponsors Non-governmental organisations

Public institutions

Private sector

Academia and media

Imprint Published by

Schwarzkopf-Stiftung Junges Europa Sophienstraße 28/29 10178 Berlin, Germany

Pictures / Illustrations

Lena Prötzel, Lukas Fendel, Tobias Frietzsche, Barbara Pąkowska, Vincent Herr, Marilou Pelmont, Helena Karnitskaya, Valeriya Boyko, Monika Seidel

Sofie de Jong (cover photo – taken during the EYP session in Tbilisi, Georgia in June 2018), Adrian Jankowski (pp. 2, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 48, 52, 53, 56), Stefanie Loos (pp. 3, 12, 39, 52, 58, 59), Janne Vanhemmens (pp. 6, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35), Photothek.net/Thomas Imo (pp. 8, 18), Gustav Dahlquist (p. 10), Dawud Marsh (p. 14), Copyright of the German Federal Foreign Office (p. 19), Elke A. Jung-Wolff (p. 19), Marco Urban (p. 19), Copyright of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (p. 22), Stiftung Denkmal der emordeten Juden Europas / Marko Priske (p. 25), Maria Granero (p. 31), Kilian Trachant (pp. 33, 35), Bogdan Baraghin (p. 33), Anthony Fedorov (p. 34), Anastasia Lemberg-Lvova (p. 35), Marcel Kusch (pp. 36, 37, 38, 39, 42), Friederike Schlenz (p. 40), Thimo Nieselt (p. 41), Lernort Stadion/Thorsten Wagne (p. 41), Aktion Zukunft, Deutsche Filmakademie/Florian Liedel (p. 43), Tibor Csákvári (p. 44), Anna Grigoryan (p. 44), Julia Saubier (p. 46), Eleonor Ängek (p. 47), Mathias Wehrle (p. 47), Vincent Herr (p. 51), Berliner Zeitung / Paulus Ponizak (p. 56)

Interviews

Layout

Responsible according to Press Law Mandy Buschina

Creative Direction Barbara Pąkowska

Editorial Work

Anna Saraste (pp. 7-15)

Kasper Grubba