Call for Applications for the 16th German-Japanese Young Leaders Forum 2024/25

Topic: Resilient Democracy - Young Leaders’ Responsibilities to Protect and Develop Liberal Democratic Societies in Turbulent Times
Date & Place: Friday, February 28, to Sunday, March 9, 2025 in Tokyo
Application deadline: January 19, 2025

Objectives

Young prospective leaders from various fields are invited to participate in a ten-day program to address politically and socially relevant issues, to deepen mutual understanding by working together, and to build long-lasting friendship among the participants and beyond. The program aims at establishing sustainable networks that will further and strengthen cooperation between both countries.

Applicant Eligibility

Each year, a large number of private corporations and public institutions is requested to recommend their promising young staff members to the program. Applicants should be between 25 to 35 years old. Fluency in English is required. Among those recommended, 16 talented young professionals – eight German and eight Japanese – are carefully selected, so that the professional diversity of the group is secured. 

Topic and Program

The German-Japanese Young Leaders Forum 2024/25 will address the theme of "Resilient Democracy": While Japan and Germany share a strong value partnership as liberal democracies, challenges to democratic systems are on the rise worldwide in times of multiple crises. It even seems that the significance of democracy is declining. Democratic resilience refers to the ability of a democratic system to withstand and recover from crises, threats and challenges without jeopardizing the fundamental democratic principles and institutions.

This forum will invite the participants to carefully review and discuss the factors that influence the resilience of democratic systems, such as the nature of elections or political socialization, and to reflect their own responsibilities and self-perception as young leaders: How can individuals in their diverse fields of action contribute to protecting and developing democracy?

Top-level speakers from diverse fields are invited to share and discuss their theories and viewpoints with the participants. Specific developments in Germany and Japan will be reflected in their global context and new approaches to finding solutions will be discussed by participants, e.g. in mixed working groups. The program also offers visits to institutions within Tokyo. During the alumni conference at the end of the program, the participants have the chance to establish additional contact with alumni from previous years.

Funding and Expenditure

The German-Japanese Young Leaders Forum is planned and realized by the Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB). It is funded by Daido Life Insurance Company, the Mori Manufacturing Research and Technology Foundation, the Yamaoka Memorial Foundation, YANMAR Holdings Co., Ltd., and Yuasa M&B Co., Ltd. While the program covers all basic expenditure, such as travel costs, accommodation, meals, etc., additional financial support from the applicants’ affiliations are greatly appreciated.

Application

All applicants are required to submit the application form, a curriculum vitae, and a letter of recommendation by their current employer. All documents must be written in English. Please send your application with all required documents via email to Dr. Phoebe Stella Holdgrün (ylf@jdzb.de).

Dates

The ten-day forum will be held from Friday, February 28, to Sunday, March 9, 2025 in Tokyo.
Application deadline: January 19, 2025