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Interview with Katja Hemmerich, Bucerius Summer School Alumna 2004

Katja Hemmerich is a Bucerius Summer School alumna of 2004. She works for the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations in New York and is preparing to deploy to the UN mission in Liberia in June. She joined the American Friends of Bucerius in 2010.

What one aspect of the Bucerius experience is the most important for you?

The lasting friendships that I’ve developed.

What did you like the most about your time with Bucerius and the ZEIT-Stiftung?

Participation in Bucerius events always exposes you to so many interesting people from around the world. Both in terms of the speakers and the participants, and it’s a network you can keep drawing on.

What do you value most in the Bucerius family?

It is like family. You can call on them for support any time you need them.

What did you enjoy most while in Hamburg?

Dragon boat racing!!

Who do you think should be a Bucerius fellow in the U.S.?

Anyone interested in a global perspective.

What should every American know about Bucerius?

That every day of the Summer School involves prosecco.

What can Bucerius learn from the U.S.?

That always wanting more is an acceptable state of mind.

What is your biggest extravagance?

My new kitchen in my Brooklyn brownstone.

What is your current state of mind?

I’m focused on making sure that I have the tools to navigate an increasingly complex world and find the right place for myself in it.

What German proverb do you like most?

“Reden ist Silber, Schweigen ist Gold” [Speech is silver, silence is golden]. Apparently my grandmother used to say it to me all the time, which I’m sure my friends will find amusing.