Online Event: My Europe - German-French Friendship

On 24 May at 7 pm, the event "My Europe - German-French Friendship" will take place online. It is part of an interactive digital series of events in which young people from different European countries talk about Europe and their personal areas of interest and is supported by Europe Direct Bocholt. Registration is possible via www.mein-europa.eu or by email to sonja.wiessmeier(at)bocholt(dot)de.

Mein Europa / My Europe

'My Europe' is an interactive digital event series that lets its guests discover Europe.
How does it work? Quite simply: young people from different countries talk to the participants about Europe and their personal topics of interest. The topics are as diverse as the speakers themselves and can range from current political and social events to culture and science to one's own commitment to more tolerance or solidarity. Beyond the topic of the heart, all participants can also vote live on other topics and ask questions on the evening itself.

Our hosts for the Franco-German friendship: Johanna Dittmer and Johanna Daum

On 22 January 2023, we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty, signed by Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and President Charles de Gaulle. The two politicians shared a similar vision of building Europe. This was the foundation of the Franco-German friendship. This friendship is presented by the two hosts in our event.

Johanna Daum (22) is studying Franco-German international management. She started her studies in Germany and then studied for one and a half years in Reims. She is currently doing a final internship in Brussels in the field of innovation and R&D project management at Eureka.

Johanna Daum grew up in a German-French family and really wanted to study German-French. She likes both countries very much and is interested in European cooperation. For this reason, she is committed to Franco-German friendship as a youth ambassador for the Franco-German Youth Office (DFJW) and as a member of the partnership association Comité de Jumelage Reims-Aix-la-Chapelle. This enables her to be present in both countries and help young people get to know the partner country.

Johanna Dittmer (24) is a student in the Master's programme International Business in Maastricht (NL). Before her Master's, she studied European Business in Germany and France. She always spent her holidays in France, was keen to live there for longer and incorporate her interest in both countries into her professional career. In 2019, she completed an internship at the DFJW. Today, she is committed to Franco-German friendship as a Young Ambassador for the DFJW.

The two speakers share an interest in Germany and France and are looking forward to sharing their passion and experience in Franco-German and European cooperation with the guests.

Henri Schlund, freelance journalist, will moderate the event.

The event is also supported by the Institut français Aachen.

Why is the event interesting for Bocholt?

Bocholt has an active Franco-German society and has been twinned with Aurillac and Arpajon-sur-Cère for many decades. Last year there was a delegation trip to the twin towns. In the summer, a youth group will travel to the European Youth Camp, and a citizens' trip to Aurillac and Arpajon-sur-Cère is planned for the autumn. The mayor's office with Europe Direct Bocholt also organised an event in January in cooperation with the Deutsch-Französische Gesellschaft Bocholt e.V. and the VHS to mark the 60th anniversary of Franco-German reconciliation in the cinema.

The event partners

The series of events is free of charge and is organised by a large network: Institut Français Aachen, Charlemagne Prize Foundation, Charlemagne Prize Academy, and the EUROPE DIRECT Centres of East Belgium, Gütersloh District, Dortmund, Duisburg, Essen, Bocholt and Aachen.

How to register?

You can register as follows: either via Europe Direct Bocholt: sonja.wiessmeier(at)bocholt(dot)de or via the link: www.meineuropa.eu. You will then receive the dial-in data for the Zoom event.