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Applications are open for the 5th German Italian Young Leaders Dialogue - Spinelli Forum 2025. Click here to learn more about this opportunity and apply for it.
Opportunity Details
The German Italian Young Leaders Dialogue - Spinelli Forum is a joint initiative of the German Federal Foreign Office and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in partnership with the Institute for European Politics (IEP) and the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI).
It offers a future generation of Italian and German leaders in the fields of politics, business, academia, civil society, media, and culture the opportunity to discuss the challenges faced by the German-Italian partnership as it shapes the future of the European Union (EU).
They are looking for young Italian and German candidates who would like to take part in the fifth edition of this dialogue format, which will consist of a virtual kick-off event (scheduled for 19 September 2025), two online workshops (scheduled in the afternoons of 6 October and 21 October 2025) and a final in-person two-day conference which will take place in Berlin on 27 and 28 October 2025. Participants will have the unique opportunity to discuss relevant issues concerning the future of the EU and relations between the two countries in a stimulating environment, as well as to become members of a lasting network of German and Italian young leaders.
Thematic Focus
The EU and its member states face an increasing number of challenges that require close cooperation at the European level. These challenges include fulfilling and preserving the promise of prosperity to the benefit of all European citizens, securing the global competitiveness of European economies, successful transformation to adapt to climate change and the digital revolution, and enhancing European defence and security in the context of increasing global crises. As close partners and founding members of the EU, both Germany and Italy are key to advancing European cooperation to meet them.
In four working groups, participants will discuss important aspects of the EU's internal and external capacity to act from a German and Italian perspective. They will discuss differences in perception in order to reach a better understanding of the respective position and to identify synergies and priorities. Finally, they will develop policy proposals for joint European action.
These four working groups are:
Cost
Note:
Applications will only be accepted via the application platform and should include the following information:
- A completed application form.
- A CV (max. two pages, including information on the applicant's education and relevant work experience).
- A short video (3 minutes max) to introduce the candidate and his/her motivation to take part in the German-Italian Young Leaders Dialogue - Spinelli Forum.
- A short text (max 2,500 characters) outlining what the EU should prioritize and how your country could contribute to this end in the field of your most preferred working group: