FNF Europe

🌍  Join Us in Brussels – November 19, 2024!  FNF Europe invites you to our conference on addressing the Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism. We will take a look at the dark side of travel by shedding light on the hidden crimes of human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children. 📅 Date & Time: November 19, 2024, 9:00 AM – 1:15 PM 📍 Location: Brussels 💡 This event will feature discussions with leading experts on: 🔹 Strengthening legislation to close legal gaps. 🔹 Raising public awareness to prevent exploitation. 🎤 Highlights Include: ✅  Keynote by Jules Maaten, Regional Director, FNF Europe ✅ Expert panel discussion with Catharina Rinzema (former MEP & Childs Rights activist) , Yveline Chard-Henry (French Ministery of Interior), Yves Goethals (Belgian Law Enforcement), & Lea Peters (ECPAT) ✅ A conversation with journalist & producer Wolfgang Luck on advocacy and prevention 👉 Be part of the solution—join us in person for meaningful discussions and networking. A live stream will also be available. 📱 Register now and help create a safer future for children worldwide! #HumanTrafficking #ChildProtection #HumanRights #FNFEurope

Join us at this conference which will focus on the topic of Legal and Societal Blind Spots in Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism. This event builds on a recent survey commissioned by FNF Europe, revealing diverse responses among European citizens regarding the Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism (SECTT). SECTT involves the exploitation of children by offenders traveling to destinations where contact with minors is facilitated through tourism-related services. Due to limited enforcement, corruption, and poverty in certain regions, millions of children fall victim to these offenses annually. We will explore both the legal frameworks and societal gaps that allow offenders to evade justice. Join us to discuss pathways to enhance legislation and raise public awareness to combat SECTT effectively. REGISTER NOW Kindly register for this event at: https://lnkd.in/eJAns6Vc

New Position Paper Alert! We’re excited to share the results of a collaborative effort by 14 youth organizations from across Central and Eastern Europe, who came together at the Eastern Europe Summit IV to develop a joint position paper on pressing regional issues. With valuable insights from experts at the Estonian Reform Party, these young leaders crafted policy recommendations on topics central to the region’s future: 🌍 Baltic nations' EU membership 🛡 Security 🌐 Russian regional influence 💼 Sustainable economics The future of Eastern Europe is in the hands of its youth, and this position paper is a step forward in shaping policies that ensure security, prosperity, and stability in the region. 📖 Read the full position paper below or https://shorturl.at/cRjhD Junge Liberale, Młodzi Nowocześni, European Youth of Ukraine and USR Tineret #EasternEuropeSummit #YouthEmpowerment #PolicyMaking #CEE

🚨 Momentum Mozgalom MP becomes Hungary’s first political convict!   🇭🇺 In a troubling move for democracy, András Fekete-Győr was sentenced for his role in anti-government protests in 2018. This raises serious concerns about political freedom and the rule of law in Hungary.   We stand in solidarity with our member Momentum Mozgalom and all those fighting for democracy and human rights in Hungary! Read more: https://bit.ly/3A95Ie8

As Georgia is heading to the polls, we travelled to Tbilisi earlier this month with the Liberal Defence Expert Network to take the pulse of the political situation on the ground. Here are the main takeaways after a visit to the Georgia-Russia occupation line, participation in the Black Sea Security Conference and meetings with local experts: Georgia is a testing ground for Russian hybrid warfare methods Russia is deploying a sophisticated set of hybrid methods to influence the elections. If these are effective, we can expect them to be used elsewhere in Europe. The conflicts in South Ossetia and Abkhazia are far from frozen The unresolved conflict over the annexed regions South Ossetia and Abkhazia is used by Russia to stir internal division in Georgia. Kidnappings and the further encroachment of Georgia territory happen on a regular basis. The EU needs to step up it game Georgia needs stronger signalling from the EU to return to its European path. Particularly at the political level, there is a need for clear statements and support for liberal forces. A big thank you to FNF Georgia for supporting the organisation!

Recap: Wrapping up an empowering second session of The Alliance Of Her Class of 2024 in Denmark from Sept 26-29! 🎉 Liberal women across Europe came together to sharpen their public speaking skills, learn about social media strategy, and connect with political leaders like ALDE VP Eva Kjer Hansen. Special thanks to Sigrid Friis and Marie Bjerre for sharing their inspiring journeys. This event was organized together with our partners, ALDE Party and European Liberal Forum liberal forum, as we continue to build a strong network of future leaders. FNF is proud to be part of it and is looking forward to continue in 2025! 💪 #SheWillBeHeard #AoH2024 #empowerwomen

So much to take away from our stock taking on the EU Global Gateway last week in Brussels and Berlin, as the EU Commission is getting ready for its new term. We discussed EU investment and competitiveness in Africa as seen from pan-African and Chinese perspectives. The EU is well on its way, but needs to significantly speed up its engagement, enhance integration of supportive structures in partner countries, and improve communication of the Global Gateway both in Africa and internationally to build trust and hold its own strong narrative against narratives promoted by China. It was my great pleasure to collaborate with Gunnar Wiegand, Dr. Jean Cedric Kouam, Abigaël VASSELIER, and Claus Soong for two highly informative events. Special thanks go out to Chloe Teevan from ECDPM, Dr. Ceren Ergenc from CEPS and Dr. Jens Bastian from SWP for their additional input on contextualizing Global Gateway with EU strategic autonomy, partnership-building in the Global South and EU Member State engagement, and to Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), Nkafu Policy Institute and German Marshall Fund of the United States and FNF Europe for the support. Our new comparative study "Competing with China in Africa: Strategic Suggestions on the EU Global Gateway" can be found here: https://lnkd.in/evjKZBB6.

During the Fireside Chat "Venezuela Hasta el Final" at the ALDE Party Congress, moderated by Odilia Abreu, MsC, Friedrich Naumann Foundation Madrid brought together Karl-Heinz Paqué, Chairman of the Board of FNF, Rodrigo Saraiva, Member of Parliament for Portugal's Iniciativa Liberal, and Hakima Elhaité, President of Liberal International, discussed the challenges in Venezuela and how European liberals can support the democracy movement there, and the opposition leader María Corina Machado Parisca, frontwoman of the liberal party Vente Venezuela and a member of Liberal International.

EU Liberal Hour - Foreign Interference in Democratic Processes 🇪🇺 🇩🇪 Foreign interference in democratic processes has become an increasing problem in recent years. The EU and its member states are not only threatened from within by the rise in popularity of extremist parties but also face the danger of attacks and interference by foreign actors. In addition to Russia, China in particular poses a potentially growing and long-term threat. These challenges were thoroughly discussed during the EU Liberal Hour in Berlin, organized by FNF European Dialogue. Host Katja Adler, member of the European Union Affairs Committee of the FDP parliamentary group, kicked off the event with a keynote speech on China's potential influence on German politics. Katharina O., Senior Policy Advisor FNF Europe, moderated the subsequent discussion, in which Matthias Hackler, Policy Advisor in the European Parliament, provided in-depth insights into the economic and political tensions between the EU and China. Participants included members and staff of the FDP parliamentary group, think tank experts and Prof Dr Shieh, Taiwan's representative in Germany. The Liberal Hour is a regular format that fosters exchange between German and European politics to discuss current challenges and find common solutions. It focuses on presenting and debating current political trends in EU politics from an insider perspective, framing them within liberal discourse and liberal political strategy. #EULiberalHour #ForeignInterference #ChinaEUrelations

The latest edition of our FNF Human Rights Defenders publication offers a deep dive into the inspiring and courageous struggle of pro-democracy activists. One of this year’s featured voices is Ray Wong, a Hong Kong-born activist who has been on the frontlines of grassroots movements from a young age. In his story Ray describes his battle for #HumanRights in Hong Kong and Germany and explains China's "termite policy". In 2015, Ray founded the political group “Hong Kong Indigenous,” with the iconic slogan “Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of our Times” that became the rallying cry for the 2019 protests. He faced multiple arrests and serious charges, including "incitement to riot," before fleeing Hong Kong in 2017 and receiving asylum in Germany. Today, Ray continues his work in advocacy and awareness. He serves as an advisor to Hong Kong Watch, co-founded the Hong Kong diaspora magazine, Flow HK, and in 2022, co-founded Freiheit für Hongkong playing a pivotal role in Germany’s efforts to raise awareness and engage with policymakers. Human rights defenders like Ray continue to face relentless oppression in our today's world. Yet, they risk everything – enduring persecution, imprisonment, and even death – to defend democracy, freedom, and human rights. Learn more about his journey from Hong Kong to Germany  —link below!👇 https://buff.ly/3UaqGjm #HumanRights #ProDemocracy #HongKong #RayWong #GrassrootsActivism #Asylum #FreedomForHongKong Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit