Delegations
The visitor and information programmes offer politicians and civil society representatives from different countries a forum to exchange ideas and experiences in Germany and Europe. Current and future decision-makers from the foundation’s project regions take part in a one-week programme, where they become acquainted with German members of government, political parties, associations and think tanks.
The aim of the field trips is to offer our partners a platform for dialogue on their topics of interest. These include “local government politics”, “human rights policy”, “liberal economic policy”, “market economy reform”, to mention but a few. Furthermore, the visitor programmes foster intensive dialogue among the partners themselves. Thus our guests are given the opportunity to get in contact not only with their German and European counterparts but also with colleagues from their own region.
Another positive outcome of these field trips is the setting up of regional networks promoting liberal ideas and practices in politics and society. Moreover, there is a transfer of knowledge and liberal solutions from Germany to our participants’ home countries and vice versa.
How to build a liberal youth organisation
The political situation in Ukraine and Belarus could not be more different. However, openly liberal forces are few in both authoritarian Belarus and formally democratic Ukraine. The Republic of Belarus has been engulfed by lasting protests against the authoritarian regime of the country’s first and only President Alexander Lukashenko, triggered by his obviously fraudulent sixth re-election in August 2020.
Campaign Planning - Online Programme for the Chilean Party Evópoli
Before scheduling the online meeting sessions for campaign planning to foster and train members of the Chilean party Evópoli on a local level, we were a bit excited. It was our first opportunity to embrace the online version of our popular international visiting programmes.
Urban Governance and Human Rights through Smart Cities
In February 2020, the International Visiting Programme of the IAF hosted a delegation of human rights activists, lawyers, urban planners and architects from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. The delegation met for an exchange on urban governance and human rights through smart cities.
Migration – Towards a Policy of Integration
The delegation, consisting of researchers and professors in academia, directors and managers in NGOs and journalists specialised on migration, met a diverse mixture of interest groups, ministries, politicians and institutions. Most of the participants, though working in the same field, only met each other for the first time during the trip. Nevertheless, from the very beginning, they shared their thoughts and experiences to enrich each other.