Report :

IAF indeed is not just an academy for political education, but also evidence of the strong belief by the liberals in Germany in the importance of political education and learning. This is something that one can feel immediately upon entering through the gate, as you get to see a shelf of books and audiovisuals on liberalism, let alone the staff who are there to help you with what you need. It suffices to say that the Academy opens its doors to all German youth to attend courses or workshops to discuss various issues, which reflects the vitality of the Academy.

From day one of the course, all the youth participating from 13 countries from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe were very eager to exchange expertise and information about each other, about Germany, and the experience of the FDP. I believe that this seminar was successful because of the quality of all young participants, without exceptions, and their full commitment to the program prepared by the IAF.

It is worth mentioning that the program was very well balanced with more on practical application than theory, which made it all the more enjoyable. Also, several cities were selected for excursions, all told the story of German past and present.

The lessons I learnt from this course could be summarized in the following points:

  The importance of exchange among cultures and expertise worldwide
  The importance of education upon preparing political cadres
  The need for agencies/ bodies for political education and training
  The necessity of a true integration and cooperation between civil society and political parties
  The importance of setting strategies to work within civil society organizations
  The need for performance evaluation mechanisms and for reward and penalties
  The importance of having statutes regulating the work within civil society organizations


The German society, I believe, is very liberal and open to all cultures. It suffices to say that there is a great deal of immigrants in this community, especially from Turkey, this Muslim country. In fact, the Turks are treated just as any native German citizen, enjoying all the rights they are entitled to. Germany is also distinguished with its special architecture that brings together old with new styles. Germany is also characterized with the universities that are very developed, which is a reflection of the appreciation of education and research by the Germans as a means for progress. This is indeed reflected on the conduct of the Germans in their daily life, as they revere the value of work, and they work hard. They are also characterized by being very disciplined. Another aspect about the German society is the preservation of their history, even the darker side of it, and making out of it a lesson for the future generations.

Generally speaking the seminar was very useful to all participants. The IAF administration exerted a great effort indeed, whether in preparation or in implementation of the agenda under the leadership of Ms. Lamm and the facilitators Dr. Freier and Mr. Tawseeq Haider from Pakistan.