German-Baltic Conference Tallinn 2026

The German-Baltic Conference (GBC) is our annual flagship event, this year taking place in Tallinn from October 15–18, 2026. It brings together young people from Europe, especially Germany and the Baltic States, to engage in policy-making, international dialogue, and networking.

The 2026 Theme: Self-Determination

Self-determination means choosing your own future without coercion or pressure from the outside. In a Europe facing shifting alliances, information warfare, and generational challenges, the question of who gets to decide, and on whose terms, has never been more urgent.

Participants join as Youth Ambassadors, working in three thematic Clusters to develop policy papers with concrete recommendations that will be presented to European and national decision-makers.

In parallel, the German-Baltic Youth Exchange Network (GBYEN) will gather youth organisation representatives from Germany, the Baltics, Ukraine, and wider Europe to collaborate on regional and global challenges.

There will also be an opportunity to apply as a Young Journalist to report on the event.

This year's topic clusters:

Cluster A: Total Defence and Preparedness, headed by Jonas Hoppe

This cluster focuses on the practice of 'total defence' and crisis preparedness, taking the Baltic states as its starting point. As total defence is based on the integration of military, economic, and civilian dimensions – which merge into a society-wide approach – the cluster will examine the role played by political will and public acceptance within the context of evolving threats, and how these threats impact the various levels of response (EU/NATO, national, and local levels). Building on these aspects, the cluster will develop policy recommendations that address the overarching theme of the conference – namely that a society's capacity for self-determination depends on its ability to defend and sustain itself in the face of crises.

Cluster B: Countering Disinformation, headed by Maisa Mattila

The fast and wide-reaching spread of disinformation is one of today's main challenges for Europe. Both foreign powers and domestic anti-democratic movements intentionally create and spread narratives to undermine European countries' sovereignty and right to self-determination, limit our policy options, and divide societies. This cluster seeks to develop concrete, bottom-up ways in which to effectively combat the spread of disinformation, especially among the young generations.

Cluster C: EU Enlargement – Seizing the Momentum, headed by Yulia Dziuba

The European Union's enlargement policy has re-emerged as one of the EU's most strategic geopolitical priorities. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, growing security challenges, and increasing geopolitical competition have transformed enlargement from a long-term political aspiration into a strategic necessity for ensuring peace, democracy, and resilience across Europe.

This cluster will explore how the European Union can seize the current momentum to make enlargement more credible, efficient, and sustainable while ensuring that both candidate countries and the EU itself are prepared for a larger Union. The discussions will focus on practical policy recommendations addressed to the European Parliament and other EU institutions.