IFAIR participates in Foreign Office event on the role of young political think tanks to shape the political landscape
IFAIR was invited by the International Club in the German Foreign Office to take part in the event ‘Political Participation 4.0: Are young political think tanks the answer to shape the political landscape beyond traditional ways’ on 5 Oct 2018 in Berlin. The other organisations that took part in the discussion were the European Moment, Polis180 and DGAP. Perched at the top floor of the Foreign Office building in the centre of Germany’s capital, the event was held to an audience of young international diplomats and civil servants, entrepreneurs and experienced members of the German diplomatic corp. The event had two parts – a panel debate and a fair-style exhibition where the four invited think tanks, including IFAIR, showcased their activities at individual stands.
Nelly Stratieva, Head of the EU-ASEAN Impact Group, represented IFAIR at the panel discussion. One of the main topics at the panel was what impact the different represented think tanks have. Speaking about IFAIR’s unique model, Nelly explained that we offer young people around the world a neutral platform to get their voice heard by policy makers. IFAIR does not push a political agenda or try to profit from the work it carries out. Everyone involved in the think tank is working on a volunteer basis which preserves the genuine, grassroots ethos of IFAIR. IFAIR links up young people across the world, gives them the structure to exchange ideas and then connects them to policy makers. For many of our project participants their engagement in IFAIR activities is their first chance to communicate their ideas directly to decision makers. Through the ideas of our participants, IFAIR contributes to policy recommendations tuned to the voice of young people and to the 4.0 political reality.
After the panel, the audience had the chance to visit IFAIR’s stand and speak directly to several representatives about opportunities for more substantial engagement.
If you would also like to know more about this event, get in touch with Nelly Stratieva. For information on how to get involved in IFAIR’s projects or contribute an article, please contact Steffen Murau.
