The British Council in Germany hosted the sixth event in the Network Effect Series which took place from 17 to 19 October 2007 in Berlin. The topic was demographic change.

In many parts of Europe, the local population is ageing, partly through declining birth rates, partly because young people leave in search for employment. However, at the same time other regions are undergoing rejuvenation, not least due to the impact of immigration. In some areas of our continent, such developments even take place in parallel, leading to significant changes in the demographic and ethnic set up of the population.

How does this affect societies in Europe – their structure, their culture, their cohesion? How does it affect Europe’s relationship with a predominantly younger world, in which many countries especially in Africa and Asia have a birth rate much higher than Europe’s average?

With its title 'Fewer, Older, More Diverse? – Europe’s Future Society', the Network Effect conference in Berlin provided its participants – around 35 young experts, thinkers and influencers from different backgrounds and different European countries – with a plethora of opportunities to discuss the diverse aspects of those questions, such as

• intergenerational justice and community cohesion
• sustainability of social systems
• the impact on Europe’s creativity and competitiveness
• the economic impact of changing demographics
• migration policies as a response to demographic change

Berlin was a very appropriate venue for a conference on this theme, given that Germany’s changing population structure and its implications continue to feature prominently in the national debate. Whilst this debate generally is dominated by valid concerns about the negative impact of ageing or shrinking populations, recently an increasing number of voices seem to highlight that smaller and more mature societies may also bring a lot of benefits – less pressure on the environment, a smaller carbon footprint, less crime, less unemployment, new markets for new products, to name but a few. Indeed, some comments seem to suggest that the current demographic trends need to be regarded as an opportunity, rather than a threat.

Through a mixture of presentations, workshop elements and 'Real World Visits' to relevant institutions, the Network Effect event in Berlin provided young delegates from all over the continent with a forum to debate the validity of this thesis from a country, European and global perspective, and to make their voices heard in the discussion of an issue which – arguably more than any other – is of utmost relevance to the Europe’s next generation.

Have a look at the provocation paper to read more about the event’s theme or contact Guido Jansen at British Council Germany for additional information. Click here for a Trailer and for the report of the Berlin Network Effect event.