Event reports
Getting to know each other is just as important as the lessons of current political issues or political communication: Finally, the political offspring in many countries around the world faces similar challenges. Focus of 10. Anniversary Summer school was set on issues of tolerance and integration.
Already in the first event the 15 attendees hotly discussed the problems of integration of minorities in several countries worldwide. Issue of the dispute was that political and social development is only possible when these problems are conquered. As a first step the participants tried to edit common basics. Remarkable was how much Christians, Muslims, Jews and Buddhists were tuned to the same wavelength. Despite of different cultures and religions the members agreed to the same values.
After primary theoretical discussion Ralf Gueldenzopf, Team Leader of Political Communication in the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung confronted the participations with a practical task. The aim was to develop a campaign to attract attention to the problems of immigrants in the fictitious state "Atwater" design.
In three groups the 15 attendees tried to figure out solutions for the problems of immigrations. Each team approached the task with different points of view. Diverse campaigns with various strategies were evolved to find answers to solve the problems. At the end was expected a 30-second television spot.
Traditionally the conception and implementation of this spot is the most stressful but also most exciting part of the KAS Summer-School. As in the past years the attendees had to present complex relationships simply and visually in a 30 second picture story. Catchy verbalized slogans are supposed to ensure the proper political message. Especially the campaign „Let's face it with humanity" was regarded as successful. (All campaign commercials you can view in the right column).
The week was rounded off by discussions at the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation, in Jewish and Muslim communities as well as with representatives of the Bundestag and visits to institutions of contemporary history. After eight intensive summer-school days, the participants travelled back to Poland, Great Britain, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Uganda, Benin, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Lebanon. After eight Days the participants went home. In their luggage apart from clothes also a lot of new political know-how and an all-embracing global network.
About this series
The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, its educational institutions, centres and foreign offices, offer several thousand events on various subjects each year. We provide up to date and exclusive reports on selected conferences, events and symposia at www.kas.de. In addition to a summary of the contents, you can also find additional material such as pictures, speeches, videos or audio clips.