By Gleb Konkin-von Serebrowski
I was honoured to be invited to the German-Baltic Youth Conference in the role of a Young Journalist. I was curious to see what it would be like and I was delighted with the experience. I was also impressed by the daily brainstorming sessions, which I feel very fortunate to have been able to take part in.
It was hard not to feel the intensity of the zeitgeist. There was a sense of vulnerability in the air.
In stark contrast to Germany, where current geopolitical tensions are not directly experienced on the country's borders, it is perhaps easier to overlook them.
The focus of the conference is on the strengthening of cooperation between Germany and the Baltic States and the promotion of communication, exchange, innovation and sustainable growth.
Day 1: Thursday, 24 October
The very first steps of getting involved in the conference started with the chance to meet fellow participants at the "Pre-Welcome Session", which provided an introduction to the "German-Baltic Youth Exchange Network (GBYEN)" and various cluster initiatives. This informally kept networking opportunity set the stage for the evening's opening events. While the conference was primarily attended by individuals classified as "young adults", we were honoured to welcome a number of distinguished guest speakers, including the Advisor to the President of the Republic of Lithuania, a NATO-appointed German Lieutenant General, as well as a number of Attaches and Chairmen.
Later that evening, the opening ceremony took place in the "Aula Parva Hall" of Vilnius University, with welcoming speeches by Thomas von Lüpke, Chairman of the German-Baltic Future Foundation, Saulius Olencevičius, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Dr. Cornelius Zimmermann, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Lithuania, Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Lithuania, and Professor Rimvydas Petrauskas, Rector of Vilnius University. The keynote speech was delivered by Lieutenant General Jürgen-Joachim von Sandrart, Commander of NATO's Multinational Corps Northeast, in a very direct and honest manner. A number of points were made, including the importance of learning from each other and that freedom is not something that can be taken for granted or "given away".
The evening ended with a buffet dinner in the basement of the Aula Parva Hall, where everyone had the opportunity to socialise with other participants and invited guests.
Day 2: Friday, 25 October
The second day began with parallel sessions on various clusters of the GBYEN, the participants were diving in-depth into specific topics. The development of the final "paper" was a highly focused and invested process. My colleagues spent a great deal of time on research, formulation and other aspects of the project, overcoming various challenges along the way.
A major highlight of the day was a panel discussion with Viola von Cramon, former and still very active Member of the European Parliament, and Viktor Denisenko, Director of the “Centre for Communication Influences and Propaganda Research” of the Faculty of Communication of Vilnius University.
Afterward, the participants embarked on a surprising, lovely City Exploration Scavenger Hunt, a fun and interactive way to discover Vilnius and its major attractions. The day ended with a relaxing dinner at the hotel.
Day 3: Saturday, 26 October
Saturday started with a keynote speech by Erika Kuročkina, Vice-Minister of the Economy and Innovation of Lithuania, followed by more parallel sessions on the clusters and of GBYEN. After a lunch break, the programme included a concert by Latvian folk dancers, singers and performers, bringing the cultural heritage of the Baltics closer to the international guests and ensuring the cultural enjoyment aspect. Later, participants were invited to visit the Museum of Modern Art in small groups to explore the - as always - impressive density and quality of contemporary art exhibitions presented in the Lithuanian capital.
The evening ended with a traditional Lithuanian dinner at the prestigious NERINGA restaurant, famous for its preservation of the interior and also a famous meeting place during the socialist era.
Young Journalists, me included, followed with the presentation of their impressions of the conference.
The German-Baltic Conference 2024 in Vilnius offered not only valuable discussions and professional insights, but also ample opportunities for networking and cultural exchange in the heart of the Lithuanian capital.
I am pleased to report that the conference ran very smoothly and I would like to thank the organisers for this. The intensive daily programme was interspersed with a variety of activities designed to foster a sense of understanding and camaraderie among the participants, to allow them to explore the cityscape in different ways, and to introduce them to the cultural highlights of the Lithuanian capital.
If you are interested in the policy paper of cluster C, take a look here!
Graphic Recording by: Agne Rapalaite-Rasiule, visualmind.lt
Photos by: Simonas Lukoševičius (Instagram: @simonas_luko)