How Storytelling Can Redefine The Way We Connect

Since 1989, Frank Schwalba-Hoth, co-founder of the German Green Party and former Member of the European Parliament (1984-1987), has been hosting an event called Soirée Internationale about once a month in different restaurants in Brussels. Laura Mantilla Vargas, who first attended the Soirée Internationale on 20 March 2025 at the Tourane restaurant at 62-64 Rue du Luxembourg in Brussels, not far from the European Parliament building, describes her impressions of this networking event, which, as she points out, stands out in a positive way from the large number of other events of this kind in Brussels.

By Laura Mantilla Vargas, Brussels, 20 March 2025

I’ve always found networking nerve-wracking. Despite being an extrovert in some ways, the first step—meeting new people—has always been the hardest. Last Thursday, I pushed myself into an uncomfortable situation. I walked into a room where almost everyone already knew the host—except me. I had been invited by Hermann to a networking dinner hosted by Frank Schwalba-Hoth (ex-MEP at the European Parliament and co-founder of the German Green Party).

At 18:20, we walked through Plux (Place du Luxembourg, for those unfamiliar with European politics lingo) on our way to the event. The scene was buzzing—suits and briefcases, clinking glasses, conversations flowing effortlessly. I wasn’t ready. I was about to walk into a room where people knew each other, or at least knew the host. The usual nerves crept in and I started mentally rehearsing how to introduce myself, what to say, and how not to feel like the odd one out.

Then, suddenly, in the middle of Plux, walking out of London Brasserie, a man with a colourful cardigan walked straight toward me. I had seen him in pictures before (because yes, I did my research), and before I could even whisper to Hermann, “Isn’t that Frank?”— Frank was already holding my hands.

“My dear, you are wonderful.” – He said.

Then, without skipping a beat, he turned to the young woman next to him and asked, “Where do you think she’s from? Japan, South Africa, Indonesia?”

She hesitated. “Indonesia?” Frank laughed. “South America.” (Which, by the way, wasn’t even an option on his list.). And just like that, I was part of the story.

Frank gave away a couple more details about the both of us, and we walked toward the restaurant where his famous Soirée Internationale was about to begin.

The Art of Connection

We entered the restaurant. The first thing Frank did? Make every person feel like they belonged.

As we entered, he poured champagne and introduced each guest—not just by name, but by their stories. The woman I had just been introduced to? The only Chinese PhD student in Brussels researching generative AI in education. The woman next to me? A Ukrainian pianist, daughter of a famous Soviet actor. The man who had just walked through the door? A dominee who worked in the mines before becoming an MEP.

But it wasn’t just about introductions. It was the way Frank approached every person in the room that really set the tone for the evening. He, somehow, kept finding a thread linking one person to the next.

By the time we moved upstairs, the room was packed professionals from every field imaginable, some university students, and even a couple of high school ones. And yet, the titles didn’t matter. What struck me was how naturally everyone fit together—not because they had similar backgrounds, but because the room was designed for real conversations.

Frank stood before us and said: “Mes amis, tonight there’s only one rule. No one has a set seat. For every round of food, switch tables, meet someone new. Spend as little time as possible with people you already know.”

Then, he introduced every single person again—this time, weaving their passions, work, and hidden talents into a bigger narrative. And just like that, the awkwardness I felt at the start faded away.

A Different Kind of Networking

We stood there until everyone was introduced, listening to Frank’s stories for each of us. When he finished, he took a pause and added:

“When I started as an MEP in Brussels, I attended plenty of formal dinners. They were nice. You got to seat next to influential, brilliant people. But conversation? It was limited. There was always a barrier. That’s why I created la Soirée Internationale: a space to bring remarkable people together, people who might otherwise never have met.”

We sat down. We ate. We talked. And for the first time at a networking event, the conversations weren’t forced. There was no awkward small talk. No transactional exchanges. Just people connecting over ideas, experiences, and shared ambitions.

Frank invited Christine Haffner-Sifakis to take the floor. He introduced her again briefly diving into her story and given her the floor for her to share it first hand. Christine then shared wisdom shaped by years of living and working in initiatives across Africa. She spoke about the power of communities: how true leadership isn’t about authority but about creating spaces where people can thrive. She reflected on how living in Africa shaped her view of the world, her sense of community and belonging. She mentioned her love for art and the African masks that they use to carry around every time her family moved somewhere else in the continent, and how she hopes to showcase this and more in a setting where art, dance and community get together. A space where you get to interact with everything around you.

During her speech, Christine also tied her perspective on life to several African proverbs. Two of them, captured the essence of the night perfectly:

• It takes a village to raise a child.
• If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

A Different Kind of Host

On my way home, I reflected what made the night so different. What took me from nerves to belonging? What made it easier this time to connect with people? One answer came to mind: it was Frank. He saw the bigger picture and cracked the code.

After years in politics, he understood something that most networking events miss: real change happens in rooms where people feel seen, heard, and valued. He understands that we don’t create change alone—we create it by bringing people together, by forging unexpected connections, by building community.

It ties back to the proverbs Christine shared before. Sometimes, it takes a village to translate great ideas into actions. And if we want to make lasting impact, we need to do it together. Frank’s Soirée Internationale isn’t just another dinner. He’s orchestrating collisions—between ideas, between generations, between people who might never have met otherwise.

I walked in thinking I would feel out of place. And I didn’t. I walked out knowing people’s stories: the moments and ambitions behind their job titles. I left intrigued by this man who breathes storytelling. Because storytelling isn’t just about words. It’s about presence. It’s about how you make people feel.

And Frank? Frank doesn’t just tell stories. He builds them. He lives them.

He pulls you into them until you forget you were ever an outsider. And that, I think, is the kind of storytelling that actually changes the world.