About German-French relations and why vintage is back on the agenda
What does our participants motivate to take part in the GFYL Programme? And what does the German-French friendship mean to them? We spoke to Manouchehr, a former (GFYL 2016) and future (GFYL 2017) Conference participant, who the Washington Post considered "among the most publicly prominent voices of Germany’s younger generation".
"It is a very basic truth that the German-French relations are one of the most important foundations of the European Union, and therefore of peace, justice, prosperity, progress of sciences and human rights, good governance, and many more of those things our generation got used to.
While this generation like none before has traveled all over the world to visit exciting as well as instructive places like Asia, the Americas or Africa, to 'work and travel' or via school exchanges, this German-French friendship seemed kind of "outdated" to many of our peers. But it is well known on both sides of the Rhine as well as in Berlin and Paris that vintage is back on the agenda and highly valued, even though it might be in a more hipster way then before. This applies to cars and wine and in an analogous manner to the exchange of ideas of how to further develop our joint European project.
It is evident that one needs the whole spectrum of a generation to get this done, which is why I am supporting and participating in GFYL in Berlin this year: I have seen this program's ability to bring together leading young StartUp-founders, scientists, journalists, artists, and future leaders of the administration and legislation of both countries - as well as leaders of today, who listened to them and gave us a place at the table of our very own Europe. This was outstanding in Paris last year, and it will be again in Berlin, which is why I am looking forward to GFYL 2017."
We are looking forward to seeing you in Berlin, Manouchehr!
