PARTICIPANTS 2023.

David Backovsky works as an associate at the Centre for International Security at the Hertie School. Prior to joining the Hertie School, he worked as a project manager on U.S. State Department stabilization projects in the Middle East, coordinating efforts to build platforms for independent media. David graduated from the Hertie School’s Masters of International Affairs program and holds a Bachelor’s Degree from University College Utrecht in Philosophy. His research interests include transatlantic and nuclear security issues.

Václav works as a Head of Government Relations at CEC Group, a leading Central European public affairs agency. He graduated from the Contemporary Chinese Studies at the University of Nottingham, and the Area Studies at the Charles University in Prague. He has also studied in Beijing and Chengdu in China, and Canterbury in the UK. He has been with CEC Group since year 2012 with a small break in 2015 when he cooperated with the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic as an Adviser helping in negotiations with Chinese provinces. In the past, he led several projects in the Association for International Affairs (AMO), most notably its Asia related program for young professionals ALYAS. He also served as a Research Fellow there. He is currently an External Lecturer at the Charles University where he lectures on relations between Central European countries and China.

Hana is a foreign policy analyst currently working as advisor to the President of the Senate of the Czech Republic. She earned degrees from Charles University and the University of Economics in Prague, focusing her research on weapons of mass destruction. In her free time, she publishes a bi-weekly newsletter about international politics, science and technology and co-hosts a podcast about international relations.

Alice currently works as an external relations manager at the New technologies research centre of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. She is responsible for event organisation, project management and communication of an educational platform aiming at encouraging the young generation to study a pursue careers in science and technology. She holds a master’s degree in international relations from the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of West Bohemia. In her master’s thesis, she focused on topics of women’s rights, security, role in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. During her studies, she spent a semester at the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) as part of the Erasmus+ Programme. She also completed an Erasmus+ internship at the Czech Centre Berlin, a cultural institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

Tereza is currently working in German Bundestag as a policy advisor to MP Andreas Mehltretter, who is a member of the Committee of Climate Action and Energy. Apart from the topic of climate change, Tereza is also passionate about topics of gender equality, social policy and the prevention of democratic backsliding in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Czech-German Area Studies at the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice. She continued with her studies at the Leipzig University, where she got her M.A. in European Integration in East Central Europe (with a great support of a scholarship of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung). In 2022 she received the International Parliamentary Scholarship at German Bundestag. In her free time she usually reads, listens to podcasts and watches movies, be it in the cinema or at home. She is also what the Czechs would call a typical „kavárenská povalečka”, passionate not only about good coffee, but also about good cuisine, which comes from her experience working in top gastronomy at the Baltic Sea shore.

Roland Papesch is 31 years old and holds a Bachelor Degree in Politics and Law from the University of Göttingen and a Master’s Degree in European and International Governance from the Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB). During his studies, he worked and lived in Prague, Paris, Berlin and Brussels and participated in several European cross-border projects. Having a czech-german family background, he volunteered in the czech-german youth forum, being its chairman in the past years. He works currently as a Senior Political Advisor for the liberal party (FDP) in the German Bundestag in the Committee of Foreign Affairs.

Eliška is project manager in Jagello 2000, Czech non-profit focused on public diplomacy in the field of international security issues and the Czech Republic’s membership in NATO. She cooperates closely with the German Embassy in Prague on different projects, i.e. German participation in NATO Days in Ostrava & Czech Air Force Days. After completing her master in Security Studies at Charles University in Prague she did an internship in the German Bundestag in Berlin and in NATO Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk, VA. Most recently she graduated from the Program on Applied Security Studies in the George C. Marshall Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Eliška enjoys travelling, reading, volunteering, culture, hiking and sun.

Johann D. Riemenschneider is an attorney in Berlin specializing in international business law and international legal issues. In doing so, he advises and represents companies and individuals in complex cross-border legal matters. In addition to his work as a lawyer, Johann is also a lecturer at the Berlin School of Economics and Law. He completed his law studies with degrees in Germany, France and Switzerland. Moreover, he is finalizing a PhD thesis on the legal framework of the European Security and Defense Policy. Johann spent a part of his legal clerkship at the German Embassy Manila. Further stays abroad brought him to Belgium, Poland, Hungary, China, Argentina and Colombia. Convinced of the need for international understanding he is very engaged in the field of foreign policy. Thereby, he is particularly fascinated by discovering other cultures and learning new languages.

Born in Saxony, GDR, raised in East Berlin, until her mid-20s Marie worked within various professions and places, repeatedly encountering visible and invisible boundaries in the (working) world, so that she decided to pursue a degree in Social Sciences in order to attain a profound understanding about the mechanisms of social inequalities. Semesters abroad as well as work allowed for her to live in Bologna, Perth, Melbourne and Vancouver. In the process of obtaining a Master’s degree in Social Sciences at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin allowed for her to complete these experiences with deeper personal and scientific insights into the inequality-reproducing structures of cities and institutions, which she addresses and opposes in her political practice.

Julia is working in IT as Business and Data Analyst with focus on Automotive in Munich. From Bavaria with family roots in Northern Moravia and Silesia, she is interested both in the history and the future of Central Europe. She studied economics and political science in Munich, Warsaw and Vienna and participated in several programs that focus on deepening inter-European cooperation and understanding.

Sebastian works as a Foresight and Strategy Consultant. He thrives on developing possible future scenarios that enable the creation of resilient strategies. Regular clients are institutions ranging from the UN and EU, over national governments to multinational corporations. He is the Founder of the non-profit Climate Foreign Policy Forum. Climate Foreign Policy is the set of strategic, diplomatic, and economic actions that governments pursue to address the global climate crisis and promote sustainable development on an international level. The Climate Foreign Policy Forum is the strategic thinking hub and exchange platform for political, economical and civil society leaders to formulate best practice and guidance to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change and effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect natural resources, and promote clean energy and sustainable development worldwide. Central are coherent long-term strategies combining and reaching across all sectors of government. Sebastian was a German Green party candidate in the General Parliament Election 2021. He studied Communication, Political Science and International Relations in Dresden (hence visiting Czechia often), Cairo, Amsterdam and Washington D.C.

Katerina graduated from the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Prague and currently works as a doctor of Internal Medicine at Faculty Hospital Bulovka. After her own experience with cancer, she founded the non-profit organization Loono which raises health literacy in NCDs (mainly cancer, CVD, diabetes, mental diseases, and reproductive health). Thanks to her activities, Katerina won the European Commission’s EU Health Award and became the EY Social Entrepreneur of 2021. Forbes magazine selected her as one of the personalities of the annual 30 under 30. She is a board member of the organization Nový prostor and 3pe, and an active member of the Aspen Institute CEE community. www.loono.cz / @loonocz #prsakoule

Jana is a Public Affairs Consultant from Prague. In her job, she helps companies to navigate through the Czech political and legislative system. Her clients come from fields such as fast-food, retail or toys. And speaking of toys, Jana is also a mother of a three-year-old boy and is therefore very interested in all topics related to reconciling family and work life. She graduated from Charles University in Prague with a masters in EU studies and because she’s a bit of a nerd, she graduated also from Maastricht University with a degree in Public Policy and International Trade. Last but not least, Jana is a proud alumna of the German Parliamentary Scholarship and (not only for this reason) Berlin is a place that is forever etched in her heart.

Markéta is a senior policy officer and a former diplomat, currently working in Prague at the Ministry of the Interior. She gained her professional experience in the Association for International Affairs, the European Commission, the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, and the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU. One of the most exciting professional experiences for her so far was being posted to Brussels during the second Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU as an attaché for terrorism and internal security. Markéta holds MA degrees from Masaryk University in International Relations and English Language and Literature, spent a semester abroad at Keele University in the UK, and participated in several summer schools in the Czech Republic and also at University College Cork in Ireland. In her free time, she works on her French, tries learning Dutch, and loves travelling and going to galleries and museums (especially if they have dinosaurs).