15/04/2024
Country Representatives meeting Berlin,08NOV2023 Day3 /Part2
invited by the German Federal Foreign Office
Today, the undisputed champion of the IFA, Anne Kruse the Head of IFA programme, she wore an elegant black dress with a short jacket and heels, in contrast to the jeans and sneakers she wore during the workshops.
She was very excited about this meeting, even when she told us about it, her eyes were shining, and she said that the Federal Foreign Office would roll out the red carpet for us since it was their first time receiving such a large number of IFA alumni. As a matter of fact, they were glad to hear about this program, which was launched in 2005 and brought together representatives from 32 countries.
During the session, she was a little nervous and tried to hide it in the sparkling water cup she was carrying.
Following a brief introduction to the program, the country representatives were given the opportunity to discuss their experiences. Raghad, from Jordanian, Diwakar from Nipal, Abdel Salam from Sudan, Merly story from Colombia,…
There is no doubt that each individual has unique experiences that they wish to share with their country and contribute positively to it.
My intervention, as a journalist, was in response to a question posed by Ralf Beste, head of the German federal foreign office's department for culture and society: “What do you know about Germany? ”
I stated that I did not know much about the country before CCP fellowship. It was sufficient for me to be familiar with a few successful brands, especially automobile brands, since these are the most popular in Algeria.
While working for a prestigious Magazine in Dubai, I covered topics related to women in leadership positions and members of royal families. Merkel was the subject of articles that I wrote. Particularly, I admire her personally.
Aside from political topics, I used to write about her style, or lifestyle etc., and it was popular with readers in the MENA region, and since the magazine is managed by sponsors, they support these types of content, to increase reading.
I discovered the Ifa fellowship by chance when Germany when I returned to Algeria from Dubai, and I was selected. I gained a fantastic and diverse experience even it was remontly during the Covid (2021). It was an opportunity for me to closely explore this developed country that is open to different cultures.
By Amel Badji
