Berlin Foreign Policy Forum

Since its establishment in 2011, the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum has become the most important annual foreign policy gathering in Berlin. The Berlin Forum convenes over 250 high-ranking national and international politicians, government representatives, experts and journalists to discuss the foreign policy challenges for Germany and Europe. In addition to the German foreign policy community, more than half of the participants come from other European countries, the Middle East, Asia and the United States. Attracting more than 70.000 live views in 2020, the Berlin Forum reaches an even broader European and international audience.

The Berlin Forum was initiated on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the re-establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the Second World War and is hosted in cooperation with the Ministry.

The stated aim of the Berlin Forum is to stimulate interest in central foreign policy topics among a wider public in Germany and other countries, and for this reason our pro-active public relations support makes full use of the new media. We place particular emphasis on participation by the younger generation.

Turning Crisis into Opportunity? Europe in a (Post-) Pandemic World Order

24 November 2020, Berlin

The coronavirus crisis is not only affecting our daily lives, it is also contesting the pillars of German foreign policy: international cooperation, European integration and economic globalization. This potentially transformative crisis came at a time when Germany held the EU Council Presidency. Discussions about European solidarity, crisis management and reconstruction were on top of the presidency’s agenda. At the same time, other pressing issues needed to be addressed, such as relations with China and the United States. The Berlin Foreign Policy Forum was an excellent opportunity to debate these challenges among a group of global foreign policy experts and decision-makers.

Since the wellbeing of our participants remained our primary concern, the 2020 Berlin Forum took place for the first time as a hybrid event with comprehensive online participation through our specially developed, invitation-only virtual conference platform. With more than 950 online participants, the Berlin Forum reached a new scope, resulting in a remarkable enrichment of our discussions. As every year, all sessions of the Berlin Forum were also available to the public via livestream.