DW Trainees 2026/2027: They have arrived!
Athina Bohner
If you hadn't chosen to become a journalist, what other profession might you have pursued?
Politician or diplomat. Growing up in Hamburg, I dreamt of becoming Chancellor of Germany. Watching Angela Merkel lead the country through domestic and international crises, I hoped that I, too, could help make the world a better place.
What's one invention or innovation you hope to see in your lifetime?
I hope to see a system that preserves and shares the wisdom of past generations, including indigenous communities – a truly human archive! With AI and fast-changing technology, we risk losing touch with the social core that shapes our identity. An organized, accessible platform that collects traditional recipes, folk tales, and oral histories could help us connect the past with the present through intercultural dialogue.
Who would you like to meet for a drink of your choice and why?
I would love to meet the comedian Trevor Noah for a mango smoothie. His autobiography “Born a Crime” left a strong impression on me, particularly his honest storytelling about how growing up mixed-race in apartheid South Africa shaped his worldview. I admire his thoughtful humor, global perspective, and ability to lead grounded conversations by truly listening – qualities I deeply value.
This should be the new TikTok trend:
Spending a week without it. Inspired by Australia’s recent social media ban for under-16s, taking a break from TikTok would be a refreshing challenge to the addictive and never-ending scrolling. Returning to the app afterwards could result in more self-aware habits, help us reconnect with real-life priorities, and reflect how we engage with the digital world.
One object/thing that you cannot imagine your life without:
Trains! Whether for commuting to work or slow traveling through beautiful landscapes, I can’t imagine life without them. Last autumn, I embarked on a two-week train journey from my mother’s home country, Bulgaria, to my father’s homeland, Hungary. Along the way, I enjoyed problem-solving, practicing languages, and immersing myself in the classic rhythm of Eastern European train tracks. Excited to see where the Deutschland-Ticket takes me next!
Yousra Feriel Drioua
If you hadn't chosen to become a journalist, what other profession might you have pursued?
There are so many professions I would love to explore but if I had to choose, I would be one of three: a barista, an events organizer, or an MC! What connects these roles for me is the act of creating meaningful experiences that others can feel, enjoy, and remember.
What's one invention or innovation you hope to see in your lifetime?
I would like to see innovations that restore either mobility or vision for those who need it. Technologies that help people regain autonomy would fundamentally improve society.
Who would you like to meet for a drink of your choice and why?
Over a cup of coffee, I would have loved to meet Nawal El Saadawi and Frantz Fanon. Nawal was a controversial figure during my childhood, and it was only later that I began to understand some of her perspectives. I would like to discuss her views on the current state of the MENA region, particularly women’s agency. As for Fanon, I would be curious to hear his reflections on post-colonial Africa today, politically, structurally and psychologically, decades after formal independence. Bringing them together would, to me, offer an intriguing and modern conversation at the intersection of feminist thought and post-colonial theory.
This should be the new TikTok trend:
Getting off social media for a month and documenting it! I think it would be interesting to see what people would do once they re-gain ownership of their time and focus. I wonder how they’d fill up their days, what hobbies they’d get into and what would strike their creativity and imagination. Heck, this might not even become a trend because people may enjoy being off social media too much and decide not to come back!
One object/thing that you cannot imagine your life without:
Something intangible would be, faith. I like to consider it as my compass in life. A physical object would, unfortunately, be my phone.
Isaac Holmberg
If you hadn't chosen to become a journalist, what other profession might you have pursued?
I would have really enjoyed being a strategy board game designer. Strategy games combine many things I love – politics, history, the art of negotiation. As a kid, I invented my own games with makeshift figures that I carved myself. If any board game designers are reading this – my blueprints are still up for grabs!
What's one invention or innovation you hope to see in your lifetime?
Zero-emission jet planes. Along with any other technologies that allow us to live in a greener, more sustainable world. But when I look at some of today’s innovations, especially in the digital sphere or AI, I sometimes wonder if the constant drive for innovation is pushing us in the right direction. Our attention spans and personal agency would probably benefit more from rediscovering habits from the past.
Who would you like to meet for a drink of your choice and why?
That uncle at the Thanksgiving party who always ends up ranting about politics. Not because he’s right, but because his anger, and the passions, frustrations and fears behind it, tell a story. For us journalists, listening in these situations helps us understand how polarization and political estrangement develop and what we can do to counter it. And since I’m more of a listener than a talker, I’m happy that I wouldn’t have to do much to keep the conversation going.
This should be the new TikTok trend:
I won’t let myself be tricked into reinstalling TikTok!
One object/thing that you cannot imagine your life without:
My sleep mask. I think of it as my portable little night, which I can turn on anywhere, anytime. Warning: I do get defensive about it and will quote studies that show that sleep masks lead to better sleep.
Leonie Klingberg
If you hadn't chosen to become a journalist, what other profession might you have pursued?
A few years ago, I discovered a love for cooking. My kitchen is the place where I feel most at home, where I try out quite a few new recipes and store all the fancy kitchen gadgets you can imagine. So, when I started working as a chef in a small restaurant last year, I found myself imagining being chef in my own restaurant at some point. I don’t know yet what I would cook, but I know that I would love to be creative in the kitchen and to bring joy to guests.
What's one invention or innovation you hope to see in your lifetime?
One of my greatest passions is to cook, but I feel a tremendous hatred towards cleaning the kitchen afterwards. That’s why I would love to have a kitchen that could clean itself, while me and my friends feast on the delicious products of said chaos.
Who would you like to meet for a drink of your choice and why?
I would like to grab a beer with Robert Schuman, one of the founders of the European Union. It would certainly be quite interesting to see what he had in mind for the future of Europe and how he sees today’s developments.
This should be the new TikTok trend:
A positive way to end your addiction to socials. Many videos targeted towards those who want to consume fewer social media content have a negative undertone. They put pressure on you and make you feel guilty, which might not be the right way to help someone wanting to change their habits. I would love to see more kind content offering real tips and little changes. This could be a way for more people hoping to develop conscious screen use.
One object/thing that you cannot imagine your life without:
Without Google Maps or any other maps app, I would totally be lost. Even though my orientation is quite good, I like reaching my desired destination fast and without obstacles. That’s why I cannot imagine going anywhere only with a street map.
Kyra Krall
If you hadn't chosen to become a journalist, what other profession might you have pursued?
There are so many fields I find fascinating - urban planning, linguistics, security and development… But above all, I’m deeply passionate about theatre and its ability to create space for human connection, playfulness and social change. I would have loved to bring ideas to the stage as an actor, director or playwright.
What's one invention or innovation you hope to see in your lifetime?
A coordinated global framework for sustainable agricultural planning and fair, needs-based food distribution that eventually eliminates world hunger.
Who would you like to meet for a drink of your choice and why?
I’d like to travel back in time to meet my great-grandmother for a glass of milk in her old dairy shop. It was located in the same building that my family still lives in today, so I wish the two of us could stroll through the streets together that we’ve walked almost a century apart. As a divorced single mother of three daughters during World War II, I’d like to ask her about her defiance of gender roles, and about the hardships and ethical dilemmas she faced.
This should be the new TikTok trend:
#PauseYourFeed
Let’s be real, many of us struggle with social media overuse and need to develop healthier media consumption habits. Drawing on tech policy, psychology and lived experience, the content of this trend would share small, actionable exercises that empower viewers to question their digital dependence and to curb doom-scrolling - for example, by practicing strategic delay or creating a dopamine menu.
One object/thing that you cannot imagine your life without:
My hot water bottle. For some reason, warmth generation didn’t make it into my default settings.
Emilio Reynoso
If you hadn't chosen to become a journalist, what other profession might you have pursued?
I have always wanted to be a movie director. When I was a child, my parents took my sister and me to the cinema, and I fell in love with filmmaking. I love telling stories, and doing so on a large scale – with a big crew and a substantial budget – seems both exciting and challenging.
What's one invention or innovation you hope to see in your lifetime?
If I could choose a superpower, it would be time travel. I would love to go back in time and witness the process of great inventions coming to life, for example watching the Wright brothers build and test the first airplane or seeing Auguste and Louis Lumiére invent the Cinématographe.
Who would you like to meet for a drink of your choice and why?
I would love the opportunity to talk with Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win two, and the first female professor at the Sorbonne. I am sure she had incredible stories to share, and we could all use a bit of the bravery and determination she showed in pursuing her dreams.
This should be the new TikTok trend:
Using TikTok for just one hour a day – and spending the rest of the time enjoying the outdoors or having meaningful conversations with friends – should become the next TikTok trend.
One object/thing that you cannot imagine your life without:
My wheelchair.
Daria Shamonova
If you hadn't chosen to become a journalist, what other profession might you have pursued?
I've always been passionate about writing and that’s how I ended up in journalism, so a scriptwriter sounds like a decent alternative.
What's one invention or innovation you hope to see in your lifetime?
With bioprinting already being a reality, I really hope that a successful transplantation of a 3D-printed organ into a human body will take place in my lifetime.
Who would you like to meet for a drink of your choice and why?
I would love to sit down with Lin-Manuel Miranda for a cup of tea and ask him to write a musical about these messy times we are living through to help us all make at least some sense out of it.
This should be the new TikTok trend:
#SkillInAYear: Record yourself learning something new for at least a minute a day - whether that's playing the guitar, taking drawing classes or doing a headstand - and by the end of the year, you’ll have a visual timeline showing your progress. Not only does the recording process ensure that you engage with the new skill daily, but it can also inspire others to learn the same thing once your video ends up on their FYP.
One object/thing that you cannot imagine your life without:
A few years ago, I had my phone stolen, which made me realize how much of my life this object actually carries - gigabytes of photos, music and, most importantly, years of chats with family and friends (not to mention that it makes it possible for me to stay in touch with them in the first place, with all of us being spread across the world). So, yes, my answer is definitely my phone - with cloud storage permanently turned on.
Zeeshan Tirmizi
If you hadn't chosen to become a journalist, what other profession might you have pursued?
An automobile designer, a fiction author or a politician.
What's one invention or innovation you hope to see in your lifetime?
A permanent cure for cancer.
Who would you like to meet for a drink of your choice and why?
A glass of water with Pakistani music legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan for a chance to listen to his music in person.
This should be the new TikTok trend:
A new hashtag trend of people sharing their personal experiences about lack of accessibility in society.
One object/thing that you cannot imagine your life without:
Pants without pockets.
Ardit Toca
If you hadn't chosen to become a journalist, what other profession might you have pursued?
Probably a film director. I’d spend my life capturing the quiet, human moments that often go unnoticed. It’s still storytelling, just through a different lens.
What's one invention or innovation you hope to see in your lifetime?
A “Nostalgia Alert!” An internal signal that tells you: Pay attention, you will miss this moment one day. We need to value things before they become memories.
Who would you like to meet for a drink of your choice and why?
My future self, ten years from now. I need to know which of today's worries were actually worth the stress and which ones were just fear in disguise.
This should be the new TikTok trend:
#ContextMatters: Take a viral clip out of context and spend 60 seconds showing what’s missing. Make the full story travel faster than the lie.
One object/thing that you cannot imagine your life without:
Freedom of movement. The ability to cross borders, see new realities, and return with a wider perspective.
Muna Turki
If you hadn't chosen to become a journalist, what other profession might you have pursued?
A physicist conducting research, true to my training.
An exciting option for me would be to work in an interdisciplinary field. For example, I could apply mathematical tools from physics to understand trends in public opinion driven by mass media/ social media.
What's one invention or innovation you hope to see in your lifetime?
I hope we achieve public-interest-driven models for the indispensable tech of today, such as social media and AI. Current models are largely shaped by profit-based incentives and sometimes the interests of powerful tech titans, while the influence of public stakeholders is shrinking.
Who would you like to meet for a drink of your choice and why?
I will make Elinor Ostrom some Chai, while chatting over the power of collective action in enabling sustainable economic solutions, political integrity and prosperity. The very contribution that earned her the first ever Nobel Prize in Economics awarded to a woman.
This should be the new TikTok trend:
“Explain it like I missed the last 5 years!”
Vertical videos, which provide a larger-picture context to a piece of news, catering to a demand for quality, substance, short-form news content.
One object/thing that you cannot imagine your life without:
Print - books and newspapers. They feel more intimate, grounding, and enable slow paced and deeper thinking.
Jessica Volz
If you hadn't chosen to become a journalist, what other profession might you have pursued?
A dive instructor – teaching people how to breathe, stay calm, and see the world from a completely different angle. Sharing my passion for the underwater world by opening it up to others: explaining risks, slowing things down, and showing that clarity starts with breathing.
In the end, both jobs are not that different. They are about trust, preparation, and perspective. Guiding people safely through uncertainty looks surprisingly similar above and below water.
What's one invention or innovation you hope to see in your lifetime?
Teleportation, because living a global life shouldn’t automatically come with a massive carbon footprint. Less time in transit could mean fewer emissions, more presence, and a more sustainable way of staying connected across borders.
Who would you like to meet for a drink of your choice and why?
Albert Einstein over a glass of red wine. Not to talk about physics, but about curiosity, doubt, and how to live with uncertainty. I’d want to know how he stayed curious without needing fast answers, how he remained hopeful in the midst of his time...and also because he apparently had a great sense of humor.
This should be the new TikTok trend:
“Explain it like I’m tired” is about making things understandable even when people are exhausted and scrolling in bed. No buzzwords, no hype. Imagine it as a challenge: a filter gives you a random word or concept, and you have 40 seconds to explain it as clearly as you can.
One object/thing that you cannot imagine your life without:
Any kind of camera: I document almost everything, partly to remember, partly to understand. I love candid clips of people, their vibes, voices, and laughter ... which is why my cloud storage keeps begging for an upgrade.
Farid Zuchrinata
If you hadn't chosen to become a journalist, what other profession might you have pursued?
I studied both journalism and psychology, so psychology would have been the intuitive choice.
That said, in an alternate universe where choices aren’t constrained by my (lack of) talent for physical movement, I would have loved to become a ballet dancer. In ballet, there’s just this palette of strength, control, and poise I find so beautiful.
What's one invention or innovation you hope to see in your lifetime?
Communication with extraterrestrial beings—though I’m not sure if my curiosity outweighs my fear of what it might bring.
On a more terrestrial note, I’d love to see highly effective treatments for PTSD and schizophrenia developed in my lifetime.
Who would you like to meet for a drink of your choice and why?
Tea with a younger version of my mom, just to connect with who she was at my age and hear how life felt to her then.
Alternatively, I recently watched a beautiful movie called Lilies Not for Me and wished I could sit and converse with one of its characters, Owen. He is a novelist in 1920s England. Against his will, he was institutionalized and subjected to dangerous treatments meant to “cure” him of his homosexuality—which many people actually went through.
In him, there’s a tenderness and emotional attunement that deeply resonate with me. I’d let him know that the world will eventually change and this might bring him—however tinged with melancholy—some comfort.
This should be the new TikTok trend:
“Letter to My 2036 Self.”
Record a video telling your future self anything—hopes, warnings, regrets, wild ideas—turning TikTok into a global time capsule.
Ten years from now, on a set date, we all come back, hit play, and react to how far we’ve come—assuming, of course, TikTok hasn’t by then been replaced by some bizarre AI-powered, endless-scroll nightmare.
One object/thing that you cannot imagine your life without:
My respiratory system.
