Italy Meets Germany: A Forum for Young Leaders (IMG) "Common Strategies and Bilateral Relations in the New Era of Diplomacy"

The next IMG Weeklong Seminar will take place in Berlin from July 29th - August 1st, 2014

Seminar Agenda

The following issues will be included and explored:

• The Italian-German economic partnership in the context of the Euro crisis:

Can Germany rely on Italy economically at this time, when there is an urgent need for other traditionally strong nations to support the Euro Zone economy? Can Germany act as a pillar for Central and Western Europe, and Italy as a pillar for the Mediterranean?

• Italian economic reinforcement:

How will Italy once again play a key role on the European scene? Can Italy regain the confidence of its European neighbors, and if so, what measures must it taken to do so?

• Public and private sector:

How can cultural diplomacy contribute to strengthen economic relations? Can cultural diplomacy help to boost support between European neighbors at a time when perhaps hope in the EU is dwindling due to the crisis? Can cultural diplomacy play a key role in saving the Eurozone, or is its role too limited?

• Italy and Germany as leaders of the Continental and the Mediterranean micro-regions that need to cooperate:

Many are of the opinion that Italy and Germany need to exert greater influence over micro-regions in order to sustain the Euro Zone during the Euro Crisis. Has Italian authority over the Mediterranean decreased following previous troubles of its own economy? If/when the euro Crisis is resolved, should Germany and Italy continue to lead micro-regions in order to avoid a repeat of similar problems?

• The current political situation of Italy and Germany:

What is the effect of the decline of the old parties and the new political deal (extremism, anti-European movements)? Can Italy successfully distance itself from the old regime (Berlusconi), or will another economic meltdown see a loss of support for the new leaders? Has the Euro Crisis lead to a lack of belief in the EU and thus an increased sense of national identity and extremism?