''From Memory to Action’', Reflections on the Conference in Berlin

By Anna Lauska

From the 13^th till the 17^th of November the German War Graves Commission (Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V.) – one of the German-Baltic Future Foundation’s closest cooperation partners – organized an international conference dedicated to the challenges of disinformation. The Future Foundation and the German-Baltic Youth Exchange Network (GBYEN) were represented by Anna Lauska, deputy head of the country office Latvia. 

Titled “From Memory to Action” the conference took place in Berlin. Participants from various countries and many different organisations like Association "Education Builds BiH-Jovan DIvjak" (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Staffordshire Council of Voluntary Youth Services (UK), Tavo Europa (Lithuania), Walk of Peace in the Soča Region Foundation (Slovenia), Home For Cooperation (Croatia), and others gathered for a rich program of exchange, learning, and collaboration. After an initial welcome session and informal networking opportunities, the first workshop introduced the foundations of disinformation, its threats to democracy, and essential terminology. Through interactive sessions and international case analyses, participants explored strategies for critical and solidarity-based engagement in youth exchange. A second workshop, led by Ioan Bengel from the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe, focused on strengthening media and information literacy in youth work with practical tools and hands-on methods.

Later, a keynote by Dr. Heike Winkel from the Federal Agency for Civic Education examined the role of propaganda and disinformation in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The following day, the program continued with an exchange of best practices, where participants presented effective approaches to addressing fake news in international youth projects, followed by a collaborative project lab to develop new initiatives.

Anna Lauska in the Bundestag during the National Day of Mourning Ceremony

The conference concluded with a strong focus on memory culture. Participants visited the German Bundestag for a themed tour and took part in the official National Day of Mourning (Volkstrauertag) ceremony, including the memorial service and subsequent reception. A joint final dinner and an memorial concert at Berlin Cathedral offered additional opportunities for reflection and exchange. The final wrap-up session brought together evaluations, follow-up planning, and ideas for future cooperation.

We, the German-Baltic Future Foundation, are grateful to have been welcomed as a participant at this insightful and inspiring conference and to have been able to establish connections with potential new project partners. We are also pleased to announce that, together with Volksbund, we have begun developing a new joint project for summer 2026: Workcamp Latvia: from Kurland to the First Republica (working title) that combines historical learning, international exchange, and meaningful volunteer work. Similar as the previous years, this upcoming workcamp will explore Latvia’s World War I history, including the period of the German occupation, the emergence of the Latvian state, and the social consequences that followed. Participants will learn about key battles, refugee experiences, the multicultural heritage of the region, and the role of the Latvian riflemen, while also engaging with contemporary memory culture. Alongside these thematic activities, the group will carry out light maintenance work on German war cemeteries. 

Stay tuned for more infos! 

We thank Volksbund for the successful long-term cooperation and possibility to participate in the conference!