Cultural Diplomacy in Europe: A Forum for Young Leaders (CDE)

The Next CDE Weeklong Seminar will take place from 14th - 19th March, 2010
Cultural Diplomacy in Europe: A Forum for Young Leaders is under the patronage of the European Parliament


Program Director: Katharina Müller
Email address: europeculturaldiplomacyorg

Cultural Diplomacy in Europe: A Forum for Young Leaders (CDE) is a network of young, influential people from across the world, who have an interest in exploring and strengthening relations between European States. The program is based on the recognition that the increasing economic and political integration of the European Union must be accompanied by sustained activity to ensure that public opinion and relations between individual member states, and between member-states and non members states, remain positive and constructive at the grass roots level.

Individuals can join the CDE Forum by taking part in one of the CDE Weeklong Seminars, which are held in Berlin every 4 months. The goal of the Weeklong Seminars is to train and prepare the participants so that they are able to organize their own programs in the future. Each CDE Weeklong Seminar will be focused on a specific theme related to Europe and the goals of the Forum. These Weeklong Seminars include lectures, seminars, and workshops lead by experts from the fields of politics, academia, and civil society, as well as cultural and social activities. In addition to raising awareness amongst the participants of the field of cultural diplomacy and salient issues concerning Europe, the week also provides an opportunity to network and experience Berlin.

Once they have joined the CDE Forum, members are supported by the ICD in organizing leadership initiatives, conducting academic research, and are invited to join the ICD Online Forum - enabling them to share information and communicate with likeminded individuals across the world.


The next CDE Weeklong Seminar will take place in Berlin from 14th - 19th March 2010 and will focus on the following theme:

The Treaty of Lisbon and the New Face of the EU: The United State of Europe?

In a recent speech at the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, Ms. Ségolène Royal made the following statement: “Now is the time to raise ourselves up to the demand of a realistic utopia: The United States of Europe”. The forthcoming CDE Weeklong Seminar will explore the recently ratified Lisbon treaty and consider the idea of a “United States of Europe” in detail.

The forthcoming CDE Weeklong Seminar will:
  • Assess the impact of the Lisbon Treaty on the unity of the European Union and the EU decision-making process.
  • Examine the idea of a “United States of Europe” with a particular focus on foreign and security policy, economic policy, and influence as a global political player.
  • Explore the reasons for the apparent rise of the right on the accession of new EU member states and the EU integration process.
  • Consider the challenges of developing a pan-European migration policy and explore multilateral approaches to address this issue.