Questions and answers about the Franco-German Youth Office
Personal encounters, overcoming prejudice, fostering cohesion and understanding the way of life in the other country: those are the goals of international youth exchange. Such encounters are made possible by organisations such as the Franco-German Youth Office that has existed for exactly 60 years.
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Germany and France enjoy close ties: the Franco-German Youth Office was founded 60 years ago.
Photo: IMAGO/IlluPics
What is the Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO)?
The FGYO (Franco-German Youth Office) is an international organisation that is committed to cooperation between Germany and France. The board of the organisation is chaired by Federal Minister for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Lisa Paus, and the French Minister of National Education and Youth, Pap Ndiaye.
On the occasion of its 60th anniversary, Paus said how much she apprecited the FGYO’s contribution to intercultural understanding between France and Germany. “The FGYO is a success story,” Paus said at the ceremony, adding that the FGYO had enabled close to 9.5 million young people to participate in over 382,000 exchange programmes since being established in 1963.
Who is the FGYO aimed at?
The offerings of the FGYO are aimed at all young people, from nursery-school children, pupils, trainees and students through to young professionals and unemployed people. The organisation addresses current issues that are relevant to young people in both countries.
The Elysée Treaty, which was signed on 22 January 1963, forms the basis of German-French cooperation and the creation of the FGYO. Many people are currently observing the situation in France with concern: there have been riots in many cities, and young people were involved in most of these. Federal Chancellor Scholz strongly condemned the violent clashes. The Youth Office’s efforts to promote friendly co-existence appear all the more important against this backdrop.
What does the FGYO offer young people?
Summer camps, student exchanges, workshops, internships, language courses and youth contests: the FGYO arranges a wide and ever-growing range of activities. The Federal Youth Minister reported that there are now also “exchange programmes for musicians and athletes, for example in the context of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris for which the application process is currently underway”.
The goals of the FGYO include deepening German-French relations, passing on key skills for Europe, creating curiosity about the partner language, promoting intercultural learning and enabling everyone to experience mobility.
Are there any other youth offices?
By promoting international exchange and projects, the Federal Government enables young people to get to know other countries and cultures, to overcome prejudice and to develop their own personality. In addition to the FGYO, there are a number of other youth offices, such as:
- German-Polish Youth Office
- German-Greek Youth Office (only German)
- German-Israeli Youth Office (only German)