Experience politics up close

VBKI Young Professionals as guests at Bellevue Palace

Text: Alexander Gehret, VBKI Young Professionals

As part of one of our central goals of actively shaping politics, the VBKI Young Professionals visited Bellevue Palace, the official residence of the Federal President. This special visit gave us the opportunity to experience politics in the place where it is made.

We had the pleasure of not only gaining an insight into the procedures and protocol - particularly in view of the US President's upcoming visit the following day - but also of engaging in a direct exchange with the head of the Office of the Federal President and State Secretary Dr. Dörte Dinger and other members of her team. The discussions were inspiring and clearly showed how important the dialog between young leaders and political decision-makers is.

It was particularly exciting to learn that the Federal President and his team are very open to ideas and input from outside. We were made aware that constructive suggestions for shaping policy are always welcome and that the President himself attaches great importance to living them personally. It was encouraging to hear that our contributions as young professionals can definitely be heard.

We were also made acutely aware that networks also play a central role in the political landscape. Many important positions, both in the direct environment of the Federal President and at other political levels, are often filled through personal contacts and networks. This shows us how crucial it is to build up strong networks early on and to maintain them continuously. Such relationships can be just as important in later professional life as professional qualifications.

We also found the Federal President's current efforts to directly address the challenges faced by citizens particularly noteworthy. Four times a year, he moves his official residence to various villages throughout Germany for several days in order to talk to local people in cafés, businesses or marketplaces. This initiative demonstrates his strong commitment to making politics approachable and citizen-oriented.

This visit has motivated us to continue our active involvement in political processes and to contribute our experience as young specialists and managers to the dialog.

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