Students Ask Questions About G7 Summit: 'More candid than some adult journalists'

Created: 06/28/2022, 21:12

By: Catherine Brumbauer

In exchange: Pupils from the ninth grade in Garmisch-Partenkirchen were allowed to put their questions to the deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann (from the third from left) about the G7 summit.

© Gülland, Philipp

Deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann answered questions from schoolchildren before the start of the G7 summit.

And there were definitely critical tones.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen – The International Media Center hadn't even opened yet.

Pupils from almost all Garmisch-Partenkirchen schools were allowed to ask their questions about the G7 summit in Elmau.

Christiane Hoffmann, deputy government spokeswoman, answered the young people's questions for an hour.

She was impressed by the substance of the questions.

"They were sometimes more sincere than those of adult journalists."

The boys and girls from grades nine and higher had a lot of points burning under their nails.

When they spoke, they also struck a critical tone: Can't the summit be held virtually if they themselves have spent months in distance learning?

Why are so many restrictions necessary and are they justified?

And what resolutions that will benefit young people can the summit bring?

Pupils criticize advertising with sustainability - "morally not good".

On the latter question, Hoffmann responded to an initiative by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), which is also being discussed in Elmau: the "international climate club".

This is intended to be an association of states committed to greenhouse gas neutrality and better implementation of climate targets.

"Climate protection is an issue especially for the younger generation."

In general, emphasizes the former Spiegel editor, “we have made sustainability a priority for this summit.” Components from the 2015 summit were used again for the container tents at the media center.

The journalists will be taken to Garmisch-Partenkkirchen in electric shuttles from the press car park at the Schwaiganger Stud near Ohlstadt.

Regional products are used for the catering.

Not all students were impressed by this: "That's greenwashing," complained 15-year-old Emilian, considering that thousands of people fly around the world and the police patrol in combustion cars and helicopters in a continuous loop.

It also bothered him that the organizers emphasized the point of climate friendliness: "Climate protection should be a matter of course and not something that is advertised." Morally, that's not good.

Always had an answer - even with the often very critical questions of the young people.

© Gülland, Philipp

G7 summit in Elmau: Pupils impress with critical questions

Some students also noted the G7 format itself as problematic.

Where are the interests of the developing countries at the meeting of the most important industrialized countries in the West?

Hoffmann referred to Monday, when Senegal, South Africa, Indonesia, India and Argentina took part in the talks.

European countries that are not major economies, such as Scandinavia, indirectly represent the EU Commission.

“A community of values ​​also comes together here.”

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That didn't convince everyone.

"How can one speak of the G7 as a community of values ​​when the USA, which committed war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq, is there?" one student wanted to know.

If Russia was already excluded from the then G8 in 2014 due to differences in the value system and China cannot be admitted due to a lack of democracy, why not criticize the military behavior of the USA more sharply?

"I had to dress warmly," admitted Hoffmann after the press conference.

In times of the Ukraine war, when the topic of war is very important to young people, the question is understandable.

"But I don't think you can compare a war of aggression on a neighbor like Putin is waging with the presence of the Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan." Although there was no agreement on the legality of these operations in the G7 either.

Government spokeswoman comments on restrictions for citizens - she repeatedly emphasizes how important it is that the G7 meet in person.

In times of global political turbulence, it is all the more important for the heads of state to meet in person "in order to exchange ideas in informal one-on-one meetings," emphasized Hoffmann.

"It doesn't work so well if you just sit across from each other via video." The deputy government spokeswoman had repeatedly responded to this.

"She sometimes avoided questions and showed less that she understands that the summit upsets people," criticized student Sienem.

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Her comrade-in-arms Emilian can understand that: "It is very important that the summit takes place, it is understandable that she keeps emphasizing that," he said, although the massive police presence annoys him.

"I am very glad that we were even invited to present our concerns."

Hoffmann made a very friendly and open impression - and also honestly commented on the restrictions for citizens: "The security requirements make them necessary, we can only ask for your understanding," she said.

"It's unusual for a summit to take place twice in the same place.

But it's so nice with you."