Marie-Luise-Dreber Marie-Luise-Dreber
Marie-Luise-Dreber
Youth policy

Thank you!

IJAB bids farewell to Director Marie-Luise Dreber

In late September 2022 Marie-Luise Dreber, the Director of IJAB, went into retirement. Under her directorship, the predecessor organisation of IJAB – the International Youth Exchange and Visitors’ Service of the Federal Republic of Germany - transformed into the International Youth Service as it is known and valued by many today. Thanks to this transformation, the profile of the international youth work field has become sharper and its youth policy significance has been strengthened. Thank you, Marie-Luise, for your more than two decades’ worth of untiring work on behalf of international youth exchange!

27.09.2022 / Stephanie Bindzus

The official farewell for Marie-Luise Dreber, hosted by IJAB, its members and the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, was a special event that took place on 9 September 2022 in Bonn. “Only those who know the past can understand the present and shape the future,” as August Bebel is said to have stated. Professor Andreas Thimmel from Cologne University of Applied Sciences and other speakers centred their remarks around Bebel’s quote, in doing so outlining the milestones in the development of international youth work over the last two decades – developments that have left their mark on the field to this day, many of which were instigated by Marie-Luise Dreber. Her contributions were also recognised by Bettina Bundszus, Director-General in the Federal Youth Ministry, and IJAB Chairman Rolf Witte in their respective speeches. Many German and international partners had sent in messages of appreciation, signalling the visible traces left by Marie-Luise Dreber both personally and professionally in Germany and around the world.

An informal farewell event took place on 26 September during which all staff were able to say goodbye to their Director accompanied by a heartfelt “Thank you!” We wish Marie-Luise Dreber all the best for this new phase in life.

Effective 1 October 2022, Marie-Luise Dreber is succeeded by the new Director Daniel Poli.

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Eine junge Frau hebt die Hand.
About youth policy

(International) youth policy by its very nature is a core issue for IJAB. IJAB hence observes youth policy developments across Europe and around the world.