Islamabad (TDI): German-French reconciliation after the World War II and the subsequent European unification were the topics of discussion in an event organized by ThinkFest on Tuesday, at Marriott Hotel.
The event set out to celebrate the success story of the arch rivals of the past – Germany and France, overcoming their animosity and creating a model of partnership that also became the foundation of the European integration model.
The purpose of the event was to initiate and solidify understanding on how the Franco-German partnership can be replicated by hostile neighboring countries.
It highlighted the need for concrete cooperation, economic resurgence, and involvement of youth in efforts to put animosities behind and work towards shared prosperity.
Ambassadors of France, Germany, and the Head of the European Union Delegation in Pakistan addressed the gathering of diplomats, academics, representatives from European missions, experts of international affairs, and university students.
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A discussion on Franco-German partnership and European unification was moderated by Dr. Salma Malik, who is an Associate Professor at Quaid e Azam University (QAU). She was joined by subject and area experts: Ambassador (Ret) Jauhar Saleem – the President of Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Dr. Muhammad Riaz Shad – Associate Professor and Jean Monnet Chair in European Studies at National University of Modern languages (NUML), and Dr. Mujtaba Ali Isaani – DAAD Long Term Professor at QAU.
The discussion highlighted how two former rivals built a partnership that helped drive Europe’s political, economic, and regional integration.
Speakers noted that the last eighty years have served as a lesson for politicians and leaders of hostile neighboring countries on how enemies of yesterday can become friends and close partners today through political dialogue and exchanges in diverse sectors.
It was also observed and stressed that France and Germany now account for 40% of the EU’s GDP and one-third of its population.
French Ambassador, Nicholas Galey, covered the historical, political, and economic dividends of the Franco-German partnership, noting that the enduring friendship remains an essential force for Europe.
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He also mentioned the various programs jointly undertaken by Germany and France for young people and students, like the Franco-German Youth Office and the Erasmus Program that later inspired Erasmus Mundus; of which Pakistani students are the foremost beneficiaries.
French Ambassador also mentioned the Franco-German Human Rights Prize and acknowledged the Pakistani recipients – Sarah Belal in 2016 and Nayyab Ali in 2020, for their remarkable commitment against the death penalty and for minority rights respectively.
German ambassador, Ina Lepel, said that mutual efforts by France and Germany have played a key role in deepening the European integration and the EU enlargement to overcome the division of the European continent.
“Until this day, other member states expect our two countries to merge our efforts for the benefit of all the 27 European Union Members,” she said.
Head of the EU Delegation, Raimundas Karoblis, in his remarks, said that the European Union “is not a miraculous remedy for all problems that Europe and the world has to deal with, nevertheless, it has been the best mechanism invented to prevent large scale conflicts on the European continent.”
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