People

student, University of Potsdam

Clara has been involved in debating for four years, participating first in the Debating Matters Competition twice, as well as having attended the Academy of Ideas’ “Living Freedom” residential summer school in London.

Clara is currently studying political science and public administration at the University of Potsdam, gaining experience in human resource development as well as digitalisation of education.

Her primary academic interests are national and EU-polity, as well as organisational theory and analysis. Clara speaks German, English and Danish.

journalist and filmmaker

Anli Serfontein is a Berlin-based South African journalist, documentary filmmaker and non-fiction author with wide-ranging experience working for the international media.

public engagement professional

Sara has worked in public engagement with policy, science and culture for almost a decade. She has curated a wide range of talks, discussions and debates on public matters for the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), the Centre for London think tank and, more recently, the Centre for Progressive Policy (CPP) economics think tank.
In the past Sara has worked at the GLA (London’s City Hall), for international festivals such as Frequency Digital Culture Festival (UK) and for science organisations such as STEMNet (UK) and the European Molecular Biology Organisation (Germany). While at the RSA, Sara co-commissioned work for the RSA Shorts Series, which provides snapshots of big ideas blending voices from the public events programme with the talent of young illustrators and animators from around the world. During her time at London’s City Hall, Sara was involved in the 2012 Festival ahead of the Olympics and the Fourth Plinth programme. She ran the Fourth Plinth School Awards, a competition that inspires young Londoners to showcase their creative ideas for the empty plinth in Trafalgar Square. 
Sara has been on the judging panel for the 2016 RSA Student Design Awards, a competition that challenges emerging designers around the world to tackle pressing social and economic issues through design thinking. She has formerly worked on the Battle of Ideas and was a judge on the Debating Matters UK Final judging panel in 2017.

artist, NBDBKP

Barbara K. Prokop was born in Vienna in 1973, grew up in Vancouver and has lived in Berlin since 1999. She works in a variety of media such as video, photography, sculpture and installation. In 2005 she started collaborating with Niels Betori Diehl as NBDBKP. Together they work on interior design projects, interdisciplinary large-scale exhibitions and publications, and organise panel discussions based on topics arising in their individual research and practices.

NBDBKP is currently working on an online web shop project that blurs the line between art and marketing, combining political and social issues with easy-to-wear pieces. In 2018 she co-founded the fashion label BS101 with Sarah Miltenberger. Barbara has an MFA in Studio Arts from Concordia University, Montréal and an MFA in Visual Culture Studies from Universität der Künste, Berlin.

director, Global Institute Berlin CIEE Germany

executive director, Maecenata Stiftung; director, Maecenata Institute for Philanthropy and Civil Society (www.maecenata.eu)

Rupert was born in 1947, and grew up in Argentina, Italy, and Germany. He studied at Colgate University, USA, served in the German Army and continued his studies of Political Science and History at Munich University. His career included serving at headquarters of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Rome, as Regional Director of the Order of Malta German Ambulance Corps, and as President of The Duke of Bavaria’s Administration.

Since 1987, he has worked as professional consultant, academic researcher, and policy advisor on philanthropy and civil society. He was vice president of German Caritas, served on a Parliamentary Commission on Voluntary Action, was Council Member of Europa Nostra and member of the Commissione Centrale di Beneficienza of the Cariplo Foundation. He teaches and lectures regularly and has published widely on philanthropy and civil society issues. (www.strachwitz.info)

secretary general, European Cultural Parliament

The European Cultural Parliament (ECP) is the only Pan-European forum for cultural personalities of all sectors of arts, which Karl-Erik co-founded in 2002. It has 160 members from 43 European countries and initiates projects and workshops, meets in plenary session in different European cities each year and discusses broad European themes, such as democracy, intercultural dialogue and, European cohesion.

As a Swedish diplomat for 30 years Karl served in Moscow, Peking, Geneva and Rome, dealing mainly with foreign policy, trade negotiations, cultural affairs, development cooperation and the United Nations. As Ambassador since 1989 he was posted in Spain and was the Swedish commissioner general at EXPO 92 in Seville.

Karl-Erik has also been an opera soloist and is the author of more than 30 books, covering subjects such as democracy, world population, Germany, China, India, UN, theatre, opera, design, food, European identities and football, and currently lectures at the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy Berlin. He participates in public debates in Swedish, German, British, Scandinavian and other international media and is a member of several International boards in London, Cambridge, Berlin, Sofia, Stockholm, and Biella. He is married to German opera singer Doris Soffel, has two children and lives in Stockholm and Berlin.

speaker and trainer, Berlin Speaking

Pascal Heymann is an internationally distinguished speaker, event moderator, and public speaking trainer. During his high school days, Pascal was an active and enthusiastic participant of the annual international Berlin Model United Nations conference at the John F. Kennedy School Berlin. As a trainer, he now empowers everyone from high school students to CEOs to confidently communicate their ideas, generate interest for innovative concepts, and convince their audiences with engaging stories.

student, Imperial College London

Julia enjoys debating and has been involved with Debating Matters Berlin since the inaugural competition, in which she was on the winning team. She was then a part of the team that successfully defended their title in the second competition, and who went on to win the 2017 International Final. Outside of debating, Julia is interested in physics, especially theoretical physics, which she studies at Imperial College London.

Head of Product, GoVolunteer e. V.

Mónica is a computer engineer at GoVolunteer e. V. Mónica develops improvements and new features on the platform as well as leading the team and the projects that have to do with the platform. In her free time she enjoys making things, such as furniture, and also knits and sews. Mónica also loves sports, especially swimming, bouldering and yoga, and also enjoys going to the movies and playing board games.