The 17th edition of the Czech-German Young Professionals Program brought together 14 carefully selected young professionals from Czechia and Germany for the first seminar of CGYPP 2026, which took place in Prague from April 16th to 19th, 2026. Under this year’s title, Building Preparedness: A Czech-German Dialogue on European Security, the participants will explore key questions of security, resilience and preparedness throughout the three seminars.
The first day in Prague was dedicated to expectations, getting to know each other and also to the first thematic discussions. Under the title Security vs. Savings: Czech Defense Policy in 2026, we spoke with Ondřej Kundra from the magazine Respekt about current debates on Czech defence policy, security priorities and the political challenges linked to preparedness.
The day continued with the discussion on communication in crisis with Jan Paťawa, former head of the Ministry of the Interior’s Crisis Information Team. He shared practical insights from his experience with crisis communication, drawing also on his work during the floods in Czechia, and reflected on the importance of clear, timely and trustworthy communication in moments of uncertainty.
We opened the second day with a visit to the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Prague and a discussion on Czech-German Security topics with Petra Dachtler, Deputy Head of Mission. The discussion offered an opportunity to look at security and preparedness from a bilateral perspective and to reflect on the role of Czech-German cooperation in the current European context.
The programme then continued with Lessons from the Frontline: The Czech Red Cross, a discussion with Richard Smejkal, Crisis Manager of the Czech Red Cross. We focused on practical experience from humanitarian and crisis situations and on the role of civilian preparedness in strengthening societal resilience.
In the afternoon, the participants visited the T-Mobile Data Center DC7, where they could see first-hand what critical digital infrastructure looks like in practice. The visit sparked a discussion on how closely digital services, energy security and the everyday functioning of society are connected. The day concluded with a conversation with Jan Polák from the Endowment Fund for Ukraine/Gift for Putin initiative, focusing on civic engagement, solidarity with Ukraine and the role of society in responding to security challenges beyond state structures.
Saturday brought a more hands-on dimension to the programme. The morning began with a practical workshop led by Linda Štucbartová from Empowerment Self-Defense Czechia, which focused on personal safety and prevention. The practical focus of the day continued with an immersive virtual reality first aid training prepared by the Czech Red Cross, introducing participants to concrete steps in emergency response. In the afternoon, we turned to the discussion Middle East in Turmoil: Geopolitical Outlook and Lessons in Resilience with Irena Kalhousová from the Herzl Center for Israeli Studies, focusing on the regional security situation, resilience and the wider implications for Europe. The day also offered space to introduce the Czech-German Fund for the Future and to continue working internally on the participants’ podcast concepts and next steps within the programme.
Sunday was dedicated to wrap-up and next steps towards the Berlin seminar. The last day was concluded with a guided tour of the Folimanka Civil Protection Shelter, which offered a practical insight into civil protection infrastructure. It symbolically closed the first seminar devoted to preparedness, resilience and security in the Czech-German and European context.
The program is initiated and financed by the Czech-German Fund for the Future Seminar in Prague was organised in cooperation with Hanns Seidel Stiftung in Czechia.
