IAF

A Week in Gummersbach on Campaign Strategy and Tool

The most exciting seminar with plenty of skill learning.  Thank you Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) in giving me the chance to participate in this seminar: Campaign Strategy and Tools at International Academy for Leadership (IAF), Gummersbach, Germany. 21 participants from different continent attend this seminar. Countries like Ukraine, Guinea, Uganda, Argentina, Georgia, Burkina Faso, Cote d’ivorie, Myanmar, Chile, Hungary, Philippines, Bulgaria, Moldova, Israel, Indonesia, Tunisia, Jordan and Ghana came together in sharing their experience in election campaigning at their country.

With the three powerful facilitators Marike Groenewald, Warwick Chapman and Clinton du Preez who were skillful, experienced and learned are certainly suitable people for this seminar. Learning about emotion, system for election, training and building the team for campaigning. Sharing from Wulf Pabst, Head of Strategic Planning and Communication on the journey and campaign of FDP in getting back into Parliament was very informative, getting to know the challenges and opportunities FDP face in upcoming elections. Session with Bas Erlings, Head of Communication and Campaign manager of VVD and Sophie Hermans, political advisor for prime minister, member of parliament, campaign leader  both who specialized in ways of doing research and using behavioral design in daily politics and campaigning. Both from VVD, Netherland giving us ways to build campaign material and the debate ladder on how to be ahead in campaign message or debate. Jonathan Moakes the GQR’s Vice President, former Chief Executive and Chief Strategist for Democratic Alliance an expert in strategy, communication, fundraising, campaign sharing about fundraising and modern election campaign. The way forward in election campaign.

Throughout this seminar I learnt the core roles and function in modern campaign team about the basics and phases of a campaign. Building functional campaign team  for election. Learning on ways to execute  strategies and tactics. As I am a part of the campaign team in my party, the seminar also added to my knowledge on how to interact and engage with the voters. My department deals with data and system. Will the election system and technology move towards Election 4.0? The digital tools are shown here in the seminar with system, programming and apps are used in modern campaign. Using survey and research to build campaigning targets and movement with the idea of ‘snowflakes’ is a doable campaign move to engage with voters. Training for campaigners is part of campaigning. Team work  in coming out with campaign proposal, building campaign material and fundraising should be  interactive. We cannot win election alone. The last session on the best practices, idea and challenges for campaigner with lots of input on how to adapt, solve and seize the opportunity in modern ways of campaign.