Failing is just part of the process to eventually succeed, whether it be in a professional or personal sense. With that in mind, I attended last year's Berlin Security Congress, where high-level speakers from politics, industry, and the military discussed recent security developments.

Since the trip lasted three full days, I needed approval from the school, which they granted without any problems. By the way, anyone can apply to attend conferences that conflict with school hours and the Friedrich-Fischer Schule won't fail you and will support you - even financially - if it is a worthwhile event.

The congress was structured as follows: Early in the morning, guests were let in after a thorough security check and had a chance to catch up with old colleagues or talk to high-level representatives from various companies who displayed prototypes and other impressive equipment. Such as the prototype of the Aurora, a spaceplane meant to bring satellites into space.

After this networking opportunity, the main event consisted of key speeches and discussions from Olaf Scholz, Jens Stoltenberg, the Prime Minister of Norway, the Defense Ministers of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, and other influential politicians. The military perspective was also represented by high-ranking generals and admirals, such as General Christian Badia, the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Norfolk, NATO.

The congress revolved mainly around the "Zeitenwende," which was sparked by Russia's brutal attack in February 2022. The current situation in Ukraine serves as a reminder that human rights, democracy, and freedom are not a given. This is why some decision-makers from Taiwan also attended the conference to plead their case. Other topics included the accession of Sweden and Finland into NATO, new force multipliers like artificial intelligence, and other military-specific topics.
I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the current political situation from the Berlin Security Conference, but the most important experiences I had in Berlin came from the conversations I had with the people there because I was able to see that even high ranking officials are at the core approachable and humane.

I am very grateful that the school allowed me to attend the conference and supported me on my endeavor.

Sebastian Morber (FS13a)