Michael Georg Link, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, will attend the Franco-German week in Paris on Thursday (4 July), Friday (5 July) and Saturday (6 July) together with his French colleague, Minister Delegate for European Affairs Thierry Repentin.

The week of celebrations marks the conclusion of the official Élysée anniversary year, which began last September in Ludwigsburg and culminated in the great ceremony with the German and French governments and parliaments in Berlin on 22 January 2013.

The programme:

In the evening of 4 July at 6 p.m. Minister of State Link, European Affairs Minister Repentin and Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Minister-President of Saarland and Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Germany for Cultural Affairs under the Treaty on Franco-German Cooperation, will attend the award ceremony for the Franco-German Prize for Journalism at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

For more information on the Prize for Journalism, go to:

Http://www.dfjp.eu (German and French)

At 2.30 p.m. on 5 July Minister of State Link, together with European Affairs Minister Repentin, will participate in the ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the Franco-German Youth Office. The Federal Government will also be represented at the festivities in the Maison de la Mutualité by Federal Family Affairs Minister Kristina Schröder.

For more information on the Franco-German Youth Office, go to:

http://www.dfjw.org (German and French)

In the evening of 5 July Minister of State Link and European Affairs Minister Repentin will present the prestigious Adenauer-De Gaulle Prize. This year’s award, which honours the active involvement of citizens and institutions from both countries in shaping the Franco-German partnership, goes to the Franco-German Youth Office.

On 6 July Minister of State Link and European Affairs Minister Repentin will join in the large-scale street festival (“Village franco-allemand”) on the Place de la République.

During his trip to Paris Minister of State Link will also hold political talks with European Affairs Minister Repentin. The talks will focus on current European and bilateral policy issues.