Details

The concluding seminar for KASYP 2014-2015 took place in Berlin from the 19th to 23rd of September and in Erfurt, Thuringia from the 23rd to 26th of September.

In the first half of the seminar, participants visited the state and national parliament in Berlin to learn of each building's rich history as well as the importance of a functioning parliament in Germany. Role of various committees and fractions within the national parliament (bundestag) were introduced to the participants along with a tour of these sitting areas. Participants also interacted with the Members of state and national parliament, learning more about their parliamentary role as well as respective constituencies. The second part of the programme focused on thematic areas like migration and climate change to name a few. Participants also interacted with Junge Union members in Berlin, to share experiences in local politics and role of youth in political participation.

The second half of the seminar took place in Erfurt, Thuringia where the participants learnt more of the past in this region before German reunification and the various aspects of local politics and public service provisions. Participants met and interacted with members of state parliament, local assembly and mayors. There were also visits to educational institutes to learn more about Germany's education and employment sector, as well as local businesses to learn of Germany's economic policies in encouraging natural resource management, renewable energy development as well as incentivising small and medium size enterprises. Participants also got to meet with young mayors in Erfurt who openly shared their political experiences thus far in getting elected as well as going about their day-to-day job as a mayor and party responsibilities.

Overall, the seminar aimed at providing a valuable insight into the history and socio-politics of Germany within Europe as well as party organisation and planning in Germany. To learn more about the KASYP programme, please visit www.kasyp.net