“How exactly is the work of the International Committee of Young Liberals defined?” “What are the responsibilities as a leader on this board?”
After multiple times of being asked questions similar to the one above, I would like to take you on a tour through the field of possibilities that develop with being part of the international committee.
Let us start with a powerful team: 13 young performers work together to establish co-operations worldwide, organize events with international context (e.g. International Camp in Berlin) and network all around the world to improve understanding of mostly intercultural issues and challenges. The International Committee observes the political situation around the world, keeps contact with international partners and establishes new contacts through seminar and congress participation. Two of my favorite international events have taken place in Berlin called “Re-Shaping Europe” in 2016 and in Ecka (Serbia) this year. In Berlin, along the discussions on the future of Europe, young liberals got together to discuss challenges in economy, finances, environment, health etc. The annual seminar in 2017 took place in Serbia in cooperation with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, where “populism and nationalism as a threat to democracy” was discussed by young leaders from Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Kosovo.
In co-operation with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and the Westerwelle Foundation, valuable speakers can be acquired to inform about current situations in countries abroad. As the example of Africa, a start-up founder and investor discussed with young liberals the impact of digitalization in countries like Ghana, Nigeria or Kenya. Compared to Germany, these countries gain from forms of few bureaucracy and therefore are able to develop innovations quite fast. International knowledge is of support when solving challenges in our country. According to the article “Arbeit 4.0 – blockiert die Bürokratie Formen des neuen Arbeitens?” by Benjamin Strasser published last months, change is needed to develop fast enough to stay in competition with our global neighbours.
The end of this short tour through the tasks of the International committee shows how international as well as intercultural competencies can be experienced through international work and helps to find ways of creating our future successfully.
Each of you can contribute to the international work: starting from topic-related discussion groups, article composition, participation at congresses abroad, international network events in Germany as well as your individual ideas on supporting the young liberal international work.
Please contact me if any questions or more information needed. In particular, I am happy to hear from anyone having an interest in African (Sub-Sahara) politics, development and exchange.

By Nadine Mayer.