Portrait

On the 60th anniversary of the re-institution of the Federal Foreign Office after the Second World War the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum discussed some of the central issues facing German and European foreign policymakers in a new world order. At this international gathering, which was hosted in cooperation with the Federal Foreign Office, about 150 invitees includeed politicians, government representatives, experts and journalists. We examined the international role of Germany and Europe and discussed concrete policy options.

Can the EU member states reach agreement on a common foreign policy? What are the new opportunities and challenges for Germany and Europe as a result of the rise of the BRIC states? What are the responses of German and European foreign policymakers to the “Arab Spring”? And what are the future priorities of Germany’s foreign policy?

In addition to German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, speakers includeed German Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière, the Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, the Greek Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas, the parliamentary party leader of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Jürgen Trittin, the Tunisian web activist Slim Amamou and the fmr. spokesperson for the Libyan Transitional Council Iman Bugaighis.