1-DA – Sorry, what did you say?

Just before I wrote my Master’s thesis, I was looking for a job. An advert issued by the Federal Foreign Office piqued my interest. My heart skipped a beat as I scanned the advert – „foreign language secretary“, „readiness for global deployment“ and „meaningful work“. The opportunity to work for such an important institution and, ideally, also to learn more about German foreign policy convinced me immediately. As a globetrotter who had studied and worked in various countries and had „readiness for global deployment“ pumping through my veins, I just had to apply for the job. A few months later, I had my contract in my hand and everything was signed and sealed: I was going to work at the Federal Foreign Office.

Last October, when I took up service at the Federal Foreign Office, I finally got an answer to the question I’d been asking myself all along: Which unit would I join? The answer was not to be Protocol, the EU Policy Planning Staff, or the Crisis Response Centre, but rather 1-DA.

This plain-sounding abbreviation designates Training for International Diplomats, a unit with many committed colleagues working as a team to present a multifaceted picture of Germany to junior diplomats from around the world. As someone who just joined the foreign service, I was instantly taken by the idea. For me, 1-DA turned out to be just perfect, as with my outgoing personality, I have the opportunity to network with different people and at the same time quench my thirst for knowledge.

As early as my second month at 1-DA, I was asked to look after a course. For one week, I accompanied ten Chinese diplomats as they completed a dense and very informative programme during which we visited various institutions in Berlin and in Hamburg. In 2025, too, many courses are scheduled to take place and the programme directors and coordinators, as well as their interns, are investing a great deal of enthusiasm, ideas and motivation to make these courses a success. I am certain that 2025 will again hold very interesting courses and topics in store that can greatly benefit both the programme’s participants and the organising teams.

I look forward to the rest of my time here but am also looking forward to my first posting abroad. No matter whether for a longer period or a shorter secondment. Until then, my heart beats for 1-DA, as I couldn’t have imagined a better division at which to launch my career at the Federal Foreign Office. I very much look forward to continuing to support all my fellow colleagues and our course participants.

Niklas Kreis-Breunig