Berlin Foreign Policy Forum 2021

Photo: David Ausserhofer

Berlin Foreign Policy Forum 2021

Chances in Change: German Foreign Policy in an Era of Transformation

Held only months after the election, the Berlin Forum on 23 November 2021 offered exclusive insights into Germany’s foreign policy agenda in the post-Merkel era. Under the heading of “Chances in Change: German Foreign Policy in an Era of Transformation”, participants discussed the most important foreign policy challenges for a new German government and Europe. What should Europe expect from German foreign policy under a new government – continuity or change? How should Europe position itself in the intensifying tech competition between the U.S. and China? Can combatting climate change introduce a new era of multilateral cooperation? To what extent can the EU still contribute to stability and prosperity in its eastern and south-eastern neighbourhood? These and more questions were addressed in the 10-year-anniversary edition of the Berlin Forum.

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Agenda

09.00 – 09.30
Opening Remarks

  • Thomas Paulsen, Member of the Executive Board, Körber-Stiftung


Welcome Address

  • Heiko Maas, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Federal Republic of Germany
Welcome Address delivered by Heiko Maas, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs
Welcome Address delivered by Heiko Maas, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Photo: David Ausserhofer

09.30 – 10.30
Future-proof? Germany and Europe in an Era of Transformation

  • Nathalie Loiseau, MP, Chair, Subcommittee on Security and Defence; Renew Europe Group, European Parliament
  • Franziska Brantner, MdB, Parliamentary Whip for the Parliamentary Group of Alliance90/The Greens, German Bundestag
  • Bernadett Szél, MP, Member, Committee on European Affairs, Országgyűlés (Hungarian National Assembly)
  • Timothy Garton Ash, Professor of European Studies, University of Oxford


Moderation: Shakuntala Banerjee, Deputy Head, Berlin Studio, ZDF

Future-proof? Germany and Europe in an Era of Transformation – Timothy Garton Ash, Nathalie Loiseau, MP, Shakuntala Banerjee, Franziska Brantner, MdB, Bernadett Szél, MP
Future-proof? Germany and Europe in an Era of Transformation – Timothy Garton Ash, Nathalie Loiseau, MP, Shakuntala Banerjee, Franziska Brantner, MdB, Bernadett Szél, MP Photo: David Ausserhofer

11.00 – 11.45
Conversation with …

  • Rangin Dadfar Spanta, former Foreign Minister and National Security Advisor, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Moderation: Nora Müller, Executive Director International Affairs, Körber-Stiftung

Rangin Dadfar Spanta, former Foreign Minister and National Security Advisor, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Rangin Dadfar Spanta, former Foreign Minister and National Security Advisor, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Photo: David Ausserhofer

11.45 – 12.15
The Berlin Pulse 2021/22 – Transatlantic Relations in an Era of Transformation

In Cooperation with Pew Research Center.

Interactive Presentation by

  • Liana Fix, Programme Director International Affairs, Körber-Stiftung
  • James Bell, Vice President of Global Strategy, Pew Research Center
Interactive presentation of »The Berlin Pulse 2021/22« in cooperation with the Pew Research Center, with Liana Fix and James Bell
Interactive presentation of »The Berlin Pulse 2021/22« in cooperation with the Pew Research Center, with Liana Fix and James Bell Photo: David Ausserhofer

12.30 – 13.45
Breakout Session 1 – Ambitious France, Reluctant Europe?

In Cooperation with Institut Montaigne

  • Sylvie Goulard, former Member, European Parliament
  • Michel Duclos, Senior Advisor, Institut Montaigne

Moderation: Georgina Wright, Senior Fellow and Director, Europe Program, Institut Montaigne

12.30 – 13.45
Breakout Session 2 – The Geneva Conventions in the Digital Age

  • Peter Maurer, President, International Committee of the Red Cross
  • Marietje Schaake, International Director of Policy, Cyber Policy Center, Stanford University; President, CyberPeace Institute

Moderation: Alisa Vogt, Programme Director International Affairs, Körber-Stiftung

12.30 – 13.45
Breakout Session 3 – Enhancing Diversity and Inclusion in International Affairs

In Cooperation with Paris Peace Forum

  • Trisha Shetty, Founder, SheSays; President of the Steering Committee, Paris Peace Forum

Moderation: Ronja Scheler, Programme Director International Affairs, Körber-Stiftung

13.00 – 14.00
Breakout Session 4 – Transatlantic China Policy: Perspectives from Berlin and Washington

In Cooperation with Pew Research Center

  • Petra Sigmund, Director General for Asia and the Pacific, Federal Foreign Office
  • Lisa Curtis, Senior Fellow and Director, Indo-Pacific Security Program, Center for a New American Security; former Senior Director for South and Central Asia, U.S. National Security Council

Including a presentation of survey results by

  • Jacob Poushter, Associate Director of Global Attitudes Research, Pew Research Center, and Julia Ganter, Editor The Berlin Pulse, Körber-Stiftung.

Moderation: Andrew Cohen, Communications Director, Pew Research Center

14.00 – 15.00
The Geopolitics of the Digital Transformation

  • Eva-Maria Liimets, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Estonia
  • YAN Xuetong, President, Carnegie-Tsinghua Management Board; Dean, Institute of Modern International Relations, Tsinghua University
  • Nadia Schadlow, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute; former Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy, U.S. National Security Council

Moderation: Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany

The Geopolitics of the Digital Transformation – Eva-Maria Liimets, Nadia Schadlow, Stormy-Annika Mildner
The Geopolitics of the Digital Transformation – Eva-Maria Liimets, Nadia Schadlow, Stormy-Annika Mildner Photo: David Ausserhofer

Followed by Deep Dive on Gaming and International Relations with Manouchehr Shamsrizi, German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), and Kaspar Meyer, Federal Foreign Office

15.30 – 16.45
The EU’s Neighbourhood: From Transformation to Stabilization?

  • Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, President, Republic of Kosovo
  • Stefano Sannino, Secretary General, European External Action Service
  • Fiona Hill, Robert Bosch Senior Fellow, Center on the United States and Europe, Brookings Institution; former Senior Director for European and Russian Affairs, U.S. National Security Council
  • Andreas Nick, Vice-President, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
  • With a video message by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Leader of the Belarus Opposition

Moderation: Liana Fix, Programme Director International Affairs, Körber-Stiftung

The EU’s Neighbourhood: From Transformation to Stabilization? Vjoss Osmani-Sadriu, Stefano Sannino and Fiona Hill, Moderation: Liana Fix and Andreas Nick
The EU’s Neighbourhood: From Transformation to Stabilization? Vjoss Osmani-Sadriu, Stefano Sannino and Fiona Hill, Moderation: Liana Fix and Andreas Nick Photo: David Ausserhofer

Followed by Deep Dive on Populism and Current Threats to Democracy with Fiona Hill

16.45 – 17.30
Lessons Learned for the Green Transformation

  • Nick Bridge, Special Representative for Climate Change, United Kingdom
  • María Fernanda Espinosa, Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow, Robert Bosch Academy; President of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (2018-2019)
  • Parag Khanna, Founder & Managing Partner, FutureMap


Moderation: Nora Müller, Executive Director International Affairs, Körber-Stiftung

Lessons Learned for the Green Transformation: María Fernanda Espinosa and Nora Müller
Lessons Learned for the Green Transformation: María Fernanda Espinosa and Nora Müller Photo: David Ausserhofer

18.00 – 18.30
Spotlight Interview

In Cooperation with Der Spiegel

  • Omid Nouripour, MdB, Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, Parliamentary Group of Alliance90/The Greens, German Bundestag

Moderation: Britta Sandberg, Paris Bureau Chief, Der Spiegel

Spotlight Interview with Omid Nouripour in cooperation with DER SPIEGEL
Spotlight Interview with Omid Nouripour in cooperation with DER SPIEGEL Photo: David Ausserhofer
  • Heiko Maas and Thomas Paulsen
    Heiko Maas and Thomas Paulsen Photo: David Ausserhofer
  • Opening Remarks by Thomas Paulsen
    Opening Remarks by Thomas Paulsen Photo: David Ausserhofer
  • Berlin Pulse 2021/22
    Berlin Pulse 2021/22 Photo: David Ausserhofer
  • The team behind the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum 2021
    The team behind the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum 2021 Photo:David Ausserhofer

Selected Media Coverage