Participants of the 27th British-German Forum were invited by Ambassador Boomgaarden to a buffet lunch at his residence on their "London Day". The Forum is an annual event organised by Wilton Park, bringing together young professionals from Germany and Britain for a week of intensive discussions.

Enlarge image (l-r) Simon Manley, Georg Boomgaarden and Jonathan Scheele (© German Embassy London) The topic for 2012 was "Europe’s place in a challenging world", and the lunch was followed by a panel discussion on Europe with Ambassador Georg Boomgaarden, Head of the EU Commission Representation in London Jonathan Scheele, and Director for Europe at the FCO Simon Manley.

The 27th British German Forum discussed how Europe can retain influence in a rapidly changing, and challenging, world, shaped by the rise of ‘emerging powers,’ economic crises and political uncertainties. The topics of the discussion were: Europe’s internal political and economic challenges; the shifting world power balance; and external threats such as terrorism and resource scarcity. In the context of these recent changes, how can Europe remain competitive and influential? A common strand linking these themes are British and German perceptions of European identity and value systems. What is Europe and what does it mean, in the twenty-first century, to be European? How can European values be effectively and creatively promoted?

Enlarge image Participants of the 27th British-German Forum (© German Embassy London) The British-German Forum was established by Chancellor Kohl and Margaret Thatcher in 1985 and has been taking place annually ever since. Organised by Wilton Park, the event convenes approximately 50 ‘high fliers’ from Germany and Britain, between the ages of 25 and 35. Participants are chosen from a wide range of professional sectors, including government, business, finance, media, academia and non-government organisations. Those selected represent future leaders in their respective fields.

The Forum provides a neutral, dynamic space, in which participants can network and share ideas among their peers and gain insight and inspiration from experienced professionals. Through dialogue, it aims to facilitate both increased shared understanding and the building of strong relationships between influential young Britons and Germans.