“Young people are the cornerstone for the future of relations”
Board of Trustees Chairman Michael Jansen is proud of the new network created by the German-Israeli Future Forum.
There are plenty of foundations and organisations promoting exchange between Germany and Israel. What is so special about the German-Israeli Future Forum?
The foundation is a bilateral institution co-founded and co-financed by the German and Israeli governments. Its Board of Trustees also consists of representatives of both countries who take decisions jointly. And all projects are conducted in Germany and Israel. Bilateral foundations of this sort are very rare. But the German-Israeli Future Forum is also setting new priorities in terms of the issues it addresses. Memory of the Shoah is not ignored, but the focus is on the present and future of German-Israeli relations. The aim is to get young people from both countries to work together to shape the future.
Does society in Israel and Germany face similar challenges?
There are social conflicts in both countries. Both Israel and Germany are migration societies, which is why integration issues are important to both sides. By working together, young people learn how the other country deals with similar challenges. But the projects aren’t necessarily about problems – they are concerned with all the things that affect young people and that they are working on. One example of a highly successful event was a music festival in Tel Aviv featuring German and Israeli groups – that produced a very strong sense of togetherness.
All the projects that are being supported end after a maximum period of three years. Does that allow a lasting effect to be achieved?
Yes, because participants learn to be open towards the other country, to see it realistically and overcome clichés. Working together on shared interests enables them to connect and create ties. Many of the participants stay in touch over a longer period. The result is a network that keeps growing. Relations between countries depend not only on political and institutional ties but also on such interpersonal contacts. Young people are the cornerstone for the future of relations between Germany and Israel.
