Commentary

The goal of the side event at the Munich Security Conference (MSC), which took place on February 16, 2024, at Occhio on Lenbachplatz in downtown Munich, was to involve young people in foreign and security policy debates and connect them with decision-makers. Prof. Dr. Katarzyna Pisarska, Chair of the Warsaw Security Forum, for example, spoke about "Three major international 2024 events that will be game changers for Europe and the Transatlantic Alliance." She emphasized the urgency of protecting our liberal democracy through joint and decisive action. Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg discussed with Anna Rosenberg (Amundi) and young people "How to reach the middle ground in democracies, avoid extremism, and prevent an American polarization scenario in Europe." Other topics included "Under the radar risks," "The Geopolitics of AI," and the issue of dealing with the "Changing nuclear order."

 

In live-streaming sessions, young participants were able to experience the atmosphere of the security conference venue. Experts from politics, think tanks, foundations, and academia were available for in-depth discussions.

 

The side event was a collaboration between the Stiftung Wertebündnis Bayern, Charlotte von Bomhard (MunichYoungForum), UnternehmerTUM, and the MSC, supported by Occhio and Schottenhamel.