André Heller

Co-Founder of Act.Now, Austria

André Heller is one of the most influential and successful multimedia artists in the world. In 2016 he co-founded Act.Now with Patricia Kahane and entrepreneur Elke Zuckermann to work towards a respectful and appreciative social coexistence in the near and distant future.

• Warum wurde die NOW Konferenz ins Leben gerufen? [GERMAN]
• Was würden Sie der Jugend gern mit auf den Weg geben? [GERMAN]
• Welche Idee liegt der Konferenz zu Grunde? [GERMAN]

Jürgen Czernohorszky

Executive City Councillor for Education, Integration, Youth and Personnel of the City of Vienna

Since January 2017 Jürgen Czernohorszky is the City Councillor for Education, Integration, Youth and Personnel; previously holding office as Executive President of the Vienna City School Council.

• Inwiefern ist Mitbestimmung der Jugend wichtig? [GERMAN]
• Durch welche Projekte soll die Jugend miteinbezogen werden? [GERMAN]
• Was kann Bildungspolitik beitragen? [GERMAN]

Diana Guenther

Researcher and community development worker in Vancouver, Canada

I started my career in the early 1990s working in a community youth development context and I have worked in that context in various capacities (government, NGOs) . My early career has focused on working with marginalised youth and marginalised communities in Europe (UK, Netherlands, Germany) and as off 2003, Vancouver, Canada. In recent years, I have re-focused my career as a researcher and policy analyst with a particular focus on involving marginalised populations into policy environments.

• Welche Unterschiede sehen Sie in der Einstellung der Jugend und dem gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhang in Kanada und Europa? [GERMAN]
• Welches Projekt liegt Ihnen besonders am Herzen? [GERMAN]
• Wie sieht Jugendbeteiligung idealerweise aus? [GERMAN]

Natalie Haas

Austrian Youth Delegate to the United Nations

Has a diploma in Elementary Pedagogy from BAKIP Salzburg (2014), a BA in Political Science from Universität Salzburg (2017), a MSc in Conflict Resolution from University of Essex (graduated with distinction) (2018). She currently serves as the Austrian Youth Delegate to the United Nations. She isthe founder of ZIAG (www.ziag.at), a small organisation supporting the integration of refugees and positive coexistence. Particular interests are: SDGs in elementary education, Youth participation, International Relations, Migration, Integration.

• Wo sollten Jugendliche miteinbezogen werden? [GERMAN]
• Natalie Haas: Haben Jugendliche heute mehr Mitspracherecht als früher? [GERMAN]
• Was braucht es für mehr Partizipation von jungen Menschen? [GERMAN]
• Was bewirken Galionsfiguren wie die 16-jährige Greta Thunberg? [GERMAN]
• Was ist Ihr Appell? [GERMAN]

Lefteris Papagiannakis

Deputy Mayor of the City of Athens

After working for the European Parliament, Lefteris Papagiannakis was elected in the municipality of Athens in 2014 and is responsible for Migrant and Refugee Affairs as Vice Mayor since 2016.

• Wich projects impressed you most?
• Is this a project you want to bring back to your community?

Sara Sušanj

Vice President of the Youth Council Opatija, Croatia

Graduate student of Philosophy and Pedagogy and a volunteer for Society Our Children Opatija in charge of planning and leading the workshops for the members of Children City Councils. Since 2017, member and a vice president of the Youth Council of Opatija which is engaged in ensuring active inclusion of young people of Opatija in contributing to all kinds of decision-making processes related to the city‘s development.

•  What do you think about the conference?
• Which project would you like to bring back to your country?

Umberto Costantini

Mayor of Spilamberto, Italy

I am Umberto Costantini, Mayor of Spilamberto. I studied Political Science at the University of Bologna. I have been active for years in the world of volunteering through the scout movement. At the age of 25 I ran for the primaries of my party to become the mayoral candidate of my city. In 2014 I won the primaries and the elections and so I became one of the youngest mayors of Italy.  I have been part of the National Committee of the Italian Democratic Party since 2017.

• What was your experience with the conference?
• Which project did you like most?

Gari Pavkovic

Commissioner for Integration of the Municipality of Stuttgart

• Was hat Sie dieses Jahr beeindruckt?
• Welchen Herausforderungen stehen Sie als Leiter der Integrationsabteilung Stuttgart gegenüber?

Tjark Bartels

Head of Administration Hameln-Pyrmont District

Tjark Bartels ran as a mayor of the municipality Wedemark and is in this function since September 2006. In October 2013, he won in a runoff for the district election, chosen by the SPD of Hameln-Pyrmont. His activities include opportunity management in rural areas and the economic reorganisation of municipal enterprises. One of his most significant projects was the spontaneous opening of a first reception facility in Hameln, in September 2016, in which up to 1000 refugees found a safe shelter.

• Wo sehen Sie die Benefits der Konferenz?
• Welche Kontakte sind entstanden?
• Was wollen Sie konkret in ihren Landkreis mitnehmen?

Hannah Doppel

Initiative Offene Gesellschaft e.V.

• Was nehmen Sie von der Konferenz mit?
• Was schätzen Sie besonders?

Simon Anliker

Dachverband Schweizer Jugendparlamente – DSJ, Team Leader Gemeinden engage.ch

Bachelor of Arts in International Relations (University of Geneva), Master of Law (University of Bern) (ongoing) and working experience as trainee at the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Staff Office (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation), project assistant in the Team „liaison and communication“ where we elaborated the exhibition „Displaced“  (www.flucht-fuir.ch/en), assistant for Mission and Event Management at the Swiss Cooperation Office in Amman, Jordan.

• Was hat Sie am meisten beeindruckt?