American Council On Germany

Pipeline Politics: The Transatlantic Debate over Nord Stream II
2020-08-12 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
In mid-July, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced revised guidelines regarding sanctions on energy pipeline projects – including Nord Stream II and TurkStream. The Trump administration is concerned that Nord Stream II, which is nearing completion, threatens to give Moscow economic and political leverage over Europe and will undermine Europe’s energy security. However, these new sanctions may also lead to further tensions in the transatlantic relationship.
Join us on Wednesday, August 12 at 11:00 am ET for an online discussion about Nord Stream II, European energy policy, and what this all means for the transatlantic relationship featuring Ambassador Daniel Fried, Weiser Family Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council and former US Ambassador to Poland, and Dr. Kirsten Westphal, Head of Geopolitics of Energy Transformation for the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Ambassador Daniel Fried is the Atlantic Council’s Weiser Family Distinguished Fellow. In the course of his forty-year Foreign Service career, Ambassador Fried played a key role in designing and implementing American policy in Europe after the fall of the Soviet Union. As special assistant and NSC senior director for Presidents Clinton and Bush, ambassador to Poland, and assistant secretary of state for Europe (2005-09), Ambassador Fried crafted the policy of NATO enlargement to Central European nations and, in parallel, NATO-Russia relations, thus advancing the goal of Europe whole, free, and at peace. During those years, the West’s community of democracy and security grew in Europe. Ambassador Fried helped lead the West’s response to Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine starting in 2014: as State Department coordinator for sanctions policy, he crafted US sanctions against Russia, the largest US sanctions program to date, and negotiated the imposition of similar sanctions by Europe, Canada, Japan, and Australia.
Ambassador Fried became one of the US government’s foremost experts on Central and Eastern Europe and Russia. While a student, he lived in Moscow, majored in Soviet studies and history at Cornell University (BA magna cum laude 1975), and received an MA from Columbia’s Russian Institute and School of International Affairs in 1977. He joined the US Foreign Service later that year, serving overseas in Leningrad (human rights, Baltic affairs, and consular officer), and Belgrade (political officer), and in the Office of Soviet Affairs in the State Department.
As Polish desk officer in the late 1980s, Fried was one of the first in Washington to recognize the impending collapse of Communism in Poland, and helped develop the immediate response of the George H.W. Bush Administration to these developments. As political counselor at the US Embassy in Warsaw (1990-93), Fried witnessed Poland’s difficult but ultimately successful free market, democratic transformation, working with successive Polish governments.
Ambassador Fried also served as the State Department’s first special envoy for the closure of the Guantanamo (GTMO) Detainee Facility. He established procedures for the transfer of individual detainees and negotiated the transfers of seventy detainees to twenty countries, with improved security outcomes.
Dr. Kirsten Westphal is based at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin. For more than 50 years, the SWP has provided analysis on foreign policy issues not only to the Bundestag and the German Federal Government, but also to economic actors and the general public.
Dr. Westphal is assigned for International Energy Relations and Global Energy Security at the institute. She was a Member of the Expert Panel to the Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation in 2018-2019 and contributed to the Commission’s Report “A New World”, published in 2019. In parallel, she has been leading the Project “Geopolitics of Energy Transformation 2030 (GET 2030)” supported by the German Federal Foreign Office. Over the course of 2019/2020 the follow-up project (EU GET 2030) examines the geopolitics of the energy transformation from the EU’s perspective. This project involves IFRI in Paris, PISM in Warsaw; and Real Instituto Elcano in Madrid. It is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office.
Since 2015, Westphal has been conducting a series of Track 2 dialogues with Russia and Poland, with the kind support of the German Federal Foreign Office. Previously, she has worked as a consultant in the energy industry. She has experience in international election observation missions of the OSCE and EU. She is on the Advisory Board of the Regional Centre for Energy Policy Research (REKK) Foundation, Budapest, member of the Scientific Council of the Royal Institute Elcano, Madrid, and on the Editorial Board of the European Energy & Climate Journal.
She has published widely on international energy relations and EU external energy relations. Her books include Global Energy Governance in a Multipolar World (Aldershot/ Burlington Ashgate 2010); and The Political and Economic Challenges of Energy in the Middle East and North Africa (Routledge, 2018). Her recent publications on the geopolitics of energy transformation, on energy security reimagined in times of decarbonization and on the operationalization of SDG 7 have appeared in Nature, Global Policy, Energy Strategy Review, European Energy Journal and at SWP among others.

The Challenge of COVID-19: How Is the German Social System Coping?
2020-08-18 11:00 - 12:00
COVID-19 has disproportionally affected low income and minority communities, increased the digital divide, shown weakness in healthcare systems, and changed the nature of everyday life including work and education. Although Germany was able to suppress the infection rate, the pandemic has taken a toll on its social system.

Join us on Tuesday, August 18 at 11:00 am ET for a webinar with Bundestag Member Ekin Deligӧz (Green Party), who serves on the Bundestag’s Budget Committee and as Spokeswoman for the Bavarian Greens in the Bundestag. She will discuss the impact of the pandemic on German society.
This event is being held as part of WunderbarTogetherUSA 2020, a comprehensive and collaborative initiative funded by the Germany Federal Foreign Office and implemented together with the Goethe-Institut.

In September 1979, Ekin Deligöz came with her family from Turkey to Germany. In 1992, she passed her Abitur in Weißenhorn, Bavaria and then completed a degree in administrative sciences in Constance and Vienna, which she finished in 1998 as a graduate in administrative science.
In 1991, she was one of the co-founders of the Bavarian State Association of Green Youth and at that time was the spokeswoman for the “Grün Bunt Alternative Jugend Bayern”.
Ms. Deligöz has been a member of the German Bundestag since 1998. From 2002 to 2005, she was Parliamentary Managing Director of the parliamentary group of Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen. From 1998 to 2009, she was a member of the children’s commission of the German Bundestag. From 2005 to 2009, she was deputy chair of the Bundestag committee for families, seniors and women. Between 2009 and 2013, Ms. Deligöz was one of the deputy group chairwomen of Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen in the Bundestag.
Since 2013, she has been a member of the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag and chairwoman of the Greens in the Audit Committee. She is also a deputy member of the Labor and Social Affairs Committee and spokeswoman for the Bavarian Greens in the Bundestag. Since 2018, Ms. Deligöz has served as the Vice president of the German Child Protection Association “Deutscher Kinderschutzbund”.

The 2020 Political Conventions: Reactions from Berlin
2020-08-21 12:00 - 13:00
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time, the Democratic and Republican National Conventions are being held as virtual events on national television. With dozens of speakers each day, this new format is like a highly choreographed Zoom event with viewers tuning in from across the country and around the world.
Join us on Friday, August 21 at 12:00 pm ET (following the Democratic Convention) and Friday, August 28 at 12:00 pm ET (following the Republican Convention), for a conversation with a group of Bundestag members who are following the conventions from Berlin.

The 2020 Political Conventions: Reactions from Berlin
2020-08-28 12:00 - 13:00
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time, the Democratic and Republican National Conventions are being held as virtual events on national television. With dozens of speakers each day, this new format is like a highly choreographed Zoom event with viewers tuning in from across the country and around the world.
Join us on Friday, August 28 at 12:00 pm ET (following the Republican Convention), for a conversation with Bundestag members Franziska Brantner (The Greens), Thomas Erndl (CSU), and Alexander Kulitz (FDP), who are following the conventions from Berlin.

Wir schaffen das: Five Years Later
2020-08-31 11:00 - 12:00
As the conflict in Syria was intensifying, millions of Syrians sought to escape the danger any way possible – mostly on foot. For many, Germany was the ideal destination. After visiting a refugee camp in Dresden, on August 31, 2015, Chancellor Angela Merkel said “Wir schaffen das” – or “We can manage this” – referring to Europe’s ability to cope with mass migration from Syria. By the end of the year, Germany became the destination for over one million refugees.
Now five years later, on August 31 at 11 am, the ACG will host a virtual discussion on the lasting impact of the estimated 1.1 million migrants who settled in Germany in 2015 and the millions more who settled elsewhere in Europe. Join us for a discussion with Adam Hunter, Executive Director of the Refugee Council USA; Jagoda Marinic, writer and columnist for the Süddeutsche Zeitung and Director of the International Welcome Center in Heidelberg; Victoria Rietig, Head of the Migration Program at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).

How Identity Politics Has Shaped Modern Political Discourse
2020-09-10 11:00 - 12:00
Identity politics has long been thought to help members of disenfranchised communities create a voice for themselves. However, in recent years, identity politics has led to increased polarization between the left and the right, creating a rise of populism in the United States and Europe. Now in 2020, the call for social justice and racial equality have brought identity into the forefront of political debates on both sides of the Atlantic.
As part of the virtual 2020 German-American Conference, the American Council on Germany and Atlantik-Brücke invite you to join a virtual discussion with political scientist and Young Leader alumnus Dr. Francis Fukuyama (1985 Young Leader), Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), Mosbacher Director of FSI’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL), and Director of Stanford’s Master’s in International Policy Program, on September 10 at 11:00 am. In a conversation moderated by German journalist Christiane Hoffmann (1997 Young Leader), Dr. Fukuyama will discuss how identity politics have shaped modern political discourse. He will also share his thoughts on the political implications of the simultaneous public health, economic, and social equity challenges we are facing.

Europe and the United States: An Enduring Partnership?
2020-09-14 11:00 - 12:00
The ACG’s Young Leaders Program and Council on Foreign Relations’ Stephen M. Kellen Term Membership Program will host a discussion on Europe and the United States: An Enduring Partnership? with Manuel Bewarder, Journalist, Welt and Welt am Sonntag and 2018 ACG Young Leader; Tara Hariharan, Director of Global Macro Research, NWI Management LP, CFR Term Member, and 2016 ACG Young Leader; and Seth A. Johnston, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Center for Security Studies, Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, CFR Term Member, and 2014 ACG Young Leader.
Please register below.

Resilience and Adaptation: Predicting the Future in Uncertain Times
2020-09-16 11:00 - 12:00
Predicting the future is difficult under any circumstance – but it is especially hard during a period of unprecedented uncertainty. One thing is certain: The coronavirus pandemic has changed the lives of billions of people all over the globe. But, what are the lasting changes? What will our communities look like after the pandemic? Are there any lessons we can learn from this moment in history that can shape the world of tomorrow? Join us on September 16 at 11:00 am ET for a conversation with futurists Maria Bothwell and Gerd Leonhard to learn what a post-COVID world might be like.

USA vs. TikTok – wo steht Europa?
2020-09-22 11:00 - 12:00
Die App “TikTok” des chinesischen Unternehmens Bytedance gehört zu den Onlinediensten mit der schnellsten Verbreitung. Sie ist die erste chinesische App, die weltweit erfolgreich ist. Inzwischen nutzen rund 800 Millionen Menschen TikTok. Mit der TikTok-App können Nutzer kurze Videoclips aufnehmen, bearbeiten und mit anderen Nutzern teilen.
TikTok ist eine Social Media Anwendung, die in erster Linie zur Unterhaltung dient und vor allem bei Teenagern beliebt ist. Gleichwohl hat der amerikanische Präsident TikTok zum Risiko für die nationale Sicherheit der USA erklärt. Die amerikanische Regierung wirft Bytedance, der chinesischen Muttergesellschaft von TikTok vor, Nutzerdaten an die chinesischen Behörden weiterzugeben. Bytedance weist die Vorwürfe zurück. TikTok soll in den USA verboten werden, wenn das Unternehmen nicht verkauft wird. Als mögliche Käufer werden unter anderem Microsoft, Oracle und Walmart gehandelt. Ein Verbot von TikTok in den USA hätte aufgrund der globalen Dominanz der Betriebssysteme von Apple und Google wahrscheinlich weltweite Auswirkungen.
Das Gespräch findet auf Englisch statt. Die Teilnahme ist kostenlos, erfordert aber eine Anmeldung.
John Lee befasst sich mit dem Aufstieg Chinas digitaler Technologien und ihren internationalen Auswirkungen. Dabei verbindet er Aspekte der Volkswirtschaftslehre, der Internationalen Beziehungen und der Sicherheitsstudien. Lee studierte War Studies am King’s College London (MA) und Internationales Recht an der Australian National University (LLM). Vor seinem Wechsel zu MERICS arbeitete er für das australische Ministerium für Internationale Beziehungen und Außenhandel, für das australische Verteidigungsministerium sowie für das Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
Von Mai bis Juli 2016 war John Lee Visiting Academic Fellow am MERICS.
Christoph Keese ist geschäftsführender Gesellschafter der Axel Springer hy GmbH und begleitet namhafte Unternehmen, Regierungsinstitutionen und Städte bei Fragen der digitalen Transformation und technologischen Innovation. Der Journalist, Wirtschaftswissenschaftler, Verlagsmanager und Bestsellerautor arbeitet seit Anfang der 1990er Jahre an der Digitalisierung von Geschäftsmodellen. Er gehört zu den Mitgründern der Financial Times Deutschland, leitete als Chefredakteur die WELT am Sonntag und WELT Online und trieb, zuletzt als Executive Vice President, die Digitalisierung bei Axel Springer voran.

Knowing Each Other? Mutual Perceptions Across the Atlantic
2020-09-23 11:00 - 12:00
As part of the Road to the Election and Beyond Virtual Series, the ACG will host a webinar with Ambassador Dr. Emily Haber, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United States; and Ambassador John B. Emerson, Vice Chairman at Capital Group International, Chairman of the American Council on Germany, and former Ambassador of the United States to the Federal Republic of Germany; and moderated by Dr. David Deißner, Executive Director of Atlantik-Brücke e.V.
The two Ambassadors, both renowned experts in the realms of foreign policy and transatlantic relations, will share with us their assessment of how Americans currently perceive their German partners across the Atlantic –and vice versa. What larger trends can we deduce from the current state of transatlantic relations? Are we, in fact, still “wunderbar together”? The moderated discussion will last about 35 minutes, followed by 25 minutes of Q&A.
This is the second session of the transatlantic virtual event series Road to Election Night & Beyond #R2EN, which is organized and hosted by several transatlantic institutions and political foundations. More information on the virtual series can be found at www.landing.berlin-election-night.de.
Please register below.

E-Mobility Today: Challenges and Opportunities on both Sides of the Atlantic
2020-09-25 11:00 - 12:30
The ACG and the Chicago International Trade Commissioners’ Association will host a webinar with Michael D’Orazio, President at Sportiva; Stefan Knupfer, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company; James Schulte, Director at Exelon; Eric Tanenblatt, Global Chair, Public Policy & Regulation at Dentons; and moderated by Elke Rehbock, Partner at Dentons and ACG Board Member.
Michael D’Orazio is the President of Sportiva, LLC. Sportiva, LLC is a professional Engineering Consulting Firm focused on mobility and autonomous vehicle technologies through our technology partners. Michael is a graduate of the University of Michigan.
Stefan Knupfer leads McKinsey’s Sustainability Practice in the Americas and has global responsibility for helping the firm’s consultants develop sustainability expertise. He works with clients globally, including multiple recent projects in Brazil, China, Germany, and North America. As a former leader of the Automotive & Assembly Practice and lead partner in the firm’s Detroit office, Stefan’s client work centers on the automotive, aerospace, and advanced-electronics sectors. With his sustainability focus, he leads McKinsey’s cross-industry mobility discussions with more than 50 cities around the world, charging-infrastructure providers, ridesharing companies, and car and truck OEMs.
Elke Rehbock (Moderator) is a partner at Dentons US LLP and heads the German desk. She focuses on U.S. and foreign corporate and financial institution clients representing them in domestic and international corporate, finance and commercial matters. Mrs. Rehbock serves on the Board of the ACG and the Lyric Opera in Chicago, and is actively involved with Legacy Charter School in Chicago’s North Lawndale’s neighborhood. She earned her JD from Cornell Law School in 2004. Before that she graduated from Sciences Po Paris – Ecofi (Institut d’Études Politiques) in 2001. Mrs. Rehbock studied law in both France (Université Panthéon-Assas, 2000, Maîtrise en Droit) and Germany (Universität des Saarlandes, 1998, DEUG, Mention Droit).
James Schulte leads Exelon’s Growth initiative across its regulated and competitive footprint – employing a lean startup approach to build new businesses that solve customer problems and help transform the utility business model. As part of the Innovation team, James also works on changing the company’s culture and deploying technology to boost efficiency. James is passionate about the Utility of the Future and making our electric power system more sustainable.
Eric Tanenblatt is the Global Chair of Public Policy and Regulation of Dentons. He also leads the firm’s US Public Policy Practice, leveraging his three decades of experience at the very highest levels of the federal and state governments. Mr. Tanenblatt, a renowned lecturer and political counselor who’s widely regarded as one of the nation’s preeminent public policy thought leaders, has served in the administrations of three US presidents and as a senior advisor to a US senator and governor, and held a US Senate-confirmable post governing a federal agency. He has a passion for shepherding disruptive companies and industries through the complicated web of law and regulation, and often writes and speaks about the innovation economy. He leads Dentons’ global Autonomous Vehicles group and developed the group’s Driverless Commute blog, a popular digest tracking regulatory, political and technical developments in the world of automotive autonomy.

Creating a Global Framework for Containing the Coronavirus
2020-09-28 11:00 - 12:00
2020 has been overshadowed by the novel coronavirus pandemic. National governments, societies, health care systems, and multinational corporations have raced to contain a constantly evolving public health crisis. As we enter the fall, the COVID-19 pandemic shows little signs of abating – but this is not the time to give up. Join us on September 28 at 11:00 am ET for a conversation with ACG Board Member Dr. Franklin W. Maddux, Global Chief Medical Officer and Member of the Management Board of Fresenius Medical Care, who will talk about how agility, ingenuity, and innovation have helped come to terms with the pandemic. Franklin W. Maddux is Global Chief Medical Officer and Member of the Management Board for Fresenius Medical Care, overseeing the delivery of high-quality, value-based care for the world’s most expansive kidney care organization. His distinguished career encompasses more than three decades of experience as a physician, expert nephrologist, technology entrepreneur, and health care executive. Dr. Maddux joined Fresenius Medical Care in 2009 after the company acquired Health IT Services Group, a leading electronic health record (EHR) software company, which he founded. He developed one of the first laboratory electronic data interchange programs for the US dialysis industry and later created one of the first web-based EHR solutions, now marketed under Acumen Physician Solutions.
He previously served as chief medical officer and senior vice president for Specialty Care Services Group and is the former president of Virginia’s Danville Urologic Clinic, where he was a practicing nephrologist for nearly two decades. An alumnus and former Trustee of Vanderbilt University, Dr. Maddux earned his medical degree from the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he holds a faculty appointment as clinical associate professor. His writings have appeared in leading medical journals around the world, and his pioneering health care information technology innovations are part of the permanent collection of the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution

Media(R)evolution Talk: Newsroom Culture and 'Culture Wars': Journalism, Diversity, and Changing Societies
2020-09-30 11:00 - 12:00
The economic basis of journalism is eroding, journalistic structures are breaking away, and at the same time media are under increased social scrutiny: literally. In many places, journalistic offerings are achieving record coverage and audience figures. But they have long lost their role as (largely) unquestioned brokers of information and knowledge. While conspiracy theories are gaining ground among sections of the population even in times of pandemics, controversies over diversity in editorial and reporting are gaining momentum on both sides of the Atlantic.
Much remains to be done in terms of what socio-cultural and ethnic backgrounds, experiences, and views are expressed and represented in newsrooms. In both Europe and the United states controversies over opinion-pieces after the killing of George Floyd have sparked a debate about representation and responsiveness in journalism – often with an identity and generational dimension. At the same time, various initiatives both in the USA and in Europe demonstrate how diversity can strengthen journalism.
Speakers:

Paulina Fröhlich, Head of Programme Future of Democracy, Das Progressive Zentrum
Martina Guzmán, Damon J. Keith Race and Justice Journalism Fellow at the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, Wayne State University Law School
Nil Idil Cakmak, Neue Deutsche Medienmacher
Aleksandra Tulej, Head of Service, biber Verlagsgesellschaft, Vienna

Moderated by Leonard Novy (ACG Multilateral Young Leader alumnus), Director of Institute for Media and Communications Policy

Marking 30 Years of German Unification: What Lies Ahead?
2020-10-01 11:00 - 12:00
Marking 30 Years of German Unification: What Lies Ahead?
A Conversation with Robert B. Zoellick
Lead U.S. Official for the Two-Plus-Four Negotiations on German Unification
and Former President of the World Bank,
U.S. Trade Representative, and Deputy Secretary of StateThursday, October 1, 2020
11:00 am to noon Eastern Time
Saturday, October 3, marks the 30th anniversary of German Unification. Join the American Council on Germany and the German Consulate General in New York for a discussion with Robert B. Zoellick, the Lead U.S. Official for the Two-Plus-Four Negotiations which ultimately led to German Unification. He will reflect on the historic developments 30 years ago, talk about lessons learned, and share his thoughts on current and future challenges for the transatlantic alliance.
Robert B. Zoellick’s government experience spans six U.S. Presidencies – during the Cold War, in its closing chapter, and into the first decades of the 21st century. He has served as Deputy Secretary, Under Secretary, and Counselor of the State Department; Ambassador and U.S. Trade Representative; Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury; Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House; and President of the World Bank. Under Secretary of State James A. Baker III, Mr. Zoellick was the lead U.S. negotiator in the Two-Plus-Four process for Germany’s unification. The German Government awarded him the Knight Commanders Cross for his work.
Mr. Zoellick currently serves as Senior Counselor at Brunswick Geopolitical, an advisory service of Brunswick Group, and a Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. In addition, Mr. Zoellick serves on the boards of Temasek, Singapore’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, and Twitter, Inc., chairs the International Advisory Council of Standard Chartered Bank, and is on the Advisory Board of Swiss Re. He is a member of the boards of the Peterson Institute for International Economics and the Carnegie Endowment, chairs the Global Tiger Initiative, and is a member of the Global Leadership Council of Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian agency. His most recent book, America in the World: A History of U.S. Diplomacy and Foreign Policy, was published in August.

Marking 30 Years of German Unification: What Lies Ahead? [virtual] Transatlantic Townhall with Young Bundestag Members
2020-10-05 12:00 - 13:00
Marking 30 Years of German Unification: What Lies Ahead?
[virtual] Transatlantic Townhall with Young Bundestag Members
Bela Bach (SPD), Gyde Jensen (FDP), and Elisabeth Kaiser (SPD)
Monday, October 5, 2020
12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
Join the American Council on Germany and the German Consulate in New York for a discussion with young Bundestag members as they reflect on the 30th anniversary of German Unification – and what it means for them, given that they were young children when this historic event occurred. How do they view the development of unified Germany over the last three decades? How important is this milestone today and as Germany looks to the future? This event is part of a series of [virtual] Transatlantic Town Halls: German Bundestag Member Dialogues, which is being organized by the American Council on Germany under the auspices of WunderbarTogether USA 2020, a comprehensive and collaborative initiative funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by the Goethe-Institut. Bela Bach is a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) who has been serving in the Bundestag representing the Free State of Bavaria since 2020. Born in Magdeburg, in the eastern State of Saxony-Anhalt, she completed her Abitur in 2010 and subsequently studied law at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich until 2018. She has been a member of the SPD since 2007. She became a member of the Bundestag in February of this year and serves on the Committee on Transportation and Digital Infrastructure and the Committee on Petitions. In addition to these committee assignments, Ms. Bach has been a substitute member of the German delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) since 2020, where she serves on the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights.
Gyde Jensen (ACG Young Leader alumna) became a member of the Bundestag in 2018, making her the youngest female member of parliament in the 19th German Bundestag at that time. On 31 January 2018, she assumed the chairmanship of the Bundestag Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid, making her the youngest committee chairwoman in the history of the Bundestag.
In addition to her role in parliament, Ms. Jensen has been serving as member of the German delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe since 2018. As member of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), she is part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group. She currently serves on the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, and the Sub-Committee on Human Right.
Elisabeth Kaiser has been serving as a member of the Bundestag from the Free State of Thuringia since 2017. She is a member of the Committee for Home Affairs and the Committee for Construction, Housing, Urban Development, and Communities. In addition to her committee assignments, Ms. Kaiser has been a member of the German delegation to the Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly since 2019. From 2014 until 2017, she worked as press spokesperson of the SPD parliamentary group in the State Parliament of Thuringia.

Resilience and Adaptation: Is This a Tipping Point for Higher Education?
2020-10-06 11:00 - 12:00
This fall, as students go back to school – in-person and online – colleges and universities are facing a new set of challenges. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, what is the future of higher education in Germany and the United States? Join 1014 and ACG for a discussion with German and American educators and students to learn about how colleges and universities adapt – with possibly long-lasting changes that will shape higher education for years to come.
Speakers:
Dr. Diana Canay (invited), research assistant and deputy of the Diversity Officer, Christian-Albrechts-Universität in Kiel
Carson Crochet, a Davidson College Junior, who works on the College Crisis Initiative
Dr. Chris Marsicano, Assistant Professor of the Practice in Educational Studies, Davidson College
Dr. Uta G. Ploiger, Dean, College of Social Sciences and Humanities; Professor of History, Northeastern University Dr. Diana Canay is a Research Assistant for the German Department and Deputy of the Diversity Officer at the Christian-Albrechts-Universität in Kiel. She completed her studies in German and Philosophy CAU Kiel in 2019. In 2020, she was awarded Aenne Liebreich Prize for outstanding theses on issues of social diversity and/or social justice.
Carson Crochet is a student at Davidson College in North Carolina. She is a member of the College Crisis Initiative, Born out of the COVID-19 global pandemic, The College Crisis Initiative (C2i) seeks to learn how colleges and universities innovate in a crisis mindset.
Dr. Christopher R. Marsicano is an Assistant Professor of the Practice in Educational Studies at Davidson College. He completed his Ph.D. in higher education policy in the Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations at Vanderbilt University. His research includes higher education policy and finance, politics and public opinion as related to equity in higher education, and civic engagement. His work has been published or featured in peer-reviewed academic journals like Educational Researcher and popular print outlets like the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune.
Dr. Uta G. Poiger is Dean of the College of Social Science and Humanities and Professor of History at Northeastern University. With the college’s faculty, staff and students, she works to enhance the college’s and the university’s leadership in Experiential Liberal Arts. As the organization philosophy and integrative educational model of the college, the Experiential Liberal Arts is intertwined with Northeastern’s mission in Humanics. Under her leadership, the college has developed three areas of strategic focus: the intersections of resilience and sustainability; cultural transformations, governance and globalization; and network science, digital humanities and information ethics. Together with Richard Daynard, she led the committee that formulated Northeastern’s new general education curriculum NUpath, implemented in 2016. Dr. Poiger holds a Ph.D. in History from Brown University and an MA in History from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She began her studies at Albert-Ludwigs-University in Freiburg, Germany. Before coming to Northeastern as chair of the History Department in 2011, she taught for sixteen years at the University of Washington, Seattle, where she was the Giovanni and Amne Costigan Endowed Professor of History and Adjunct Professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Media(R)evolution Talk: Reporting the 'Significant Other': Transatlantic Perspectives on Foreign News
2020-10-07 11:00 - 12:00
Just under four weeks before the US presidential election and one year before the German federal election, we are dealing with one of the most dazzling forms of journalistic work: the foreign correspondent. What often seems glamorous and exciting to the reader, can be many things in reality: lonely, adventurous, boring or risky. And what is considered newsworthy does not always find buyers in the domestic editorial department, let alone the public. This is proven by a multitude of biographical reports. But what is the current state of the job description and practice? What role do “our woman” and “our man in xyz” play in the face of globalization and information overload? What political significance is still attached to foreign reporting? And if everyone only pays attention to the G8 and trouble spots, what does this mean for the “periphery” and our reported experience of the world?
Speakers:

Daniel Friedrich Sturm, US Correspondent for Die WELT/Welt am Sonntag, Washington, DC
Melissa Eddy, Germany Correspondent for The New York Times, Berlin

Moderated by Leonard Novy (ACG Multilateral Young Leader alumnus), Director of the Institute for Media and Communications.

Making Germany More Welcoming and Economically Stronger: The Role of Refugees and Migration Policy
2020-10-08 11:00 - 12:00
In 2015, more than a million migrants sought asylum in Europe. In 2016 and 2017, hundreds of thousands more crossed the Mediterranean to find a better life. Germany adopted an open border policy, welcomed refugees, and implemented strategies to integrate them into society by providing access to healthcare, education, and jobs. Migration continues to challenge governments and communities around the world. Learning about how Germany – and Europe – managed the influx of migrants can provide lessons for communities in the United States.
Regina Omlor, Senior Program Officer for Africa at Relief International, will moderate a conversation with Dr. Petra Bendel, who chairs the Advisory Council of the German Federal Office of Migration and Refugees, and David Lubell, Founding Director of the Welcoming International.
This event is hosted by the American Council on Germany, World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, and the World Affairs Councils of America as part of WunderbarTogether USA 2020, a comprehensive and collaborative initiative funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by the Goethe-Institut Petra Bendel is Professor of Political Science and Academic Director of the Centre for Area Studies at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Her fields of expertise include the European and German refugee and asylum system as well as integration policy at various political levels. Dr. Bendel is Chair of the Advisory Council of the Federal Office of Migration and Refugees (BAMF), a Member of the Federal Government’s Expert Commission on the Framework Conditions for Integration and an advisor for various expert committees.
David Lubell is the Founder of Welcoming America, and recently shifted his full-time focus to the organization’s international efforts as the Founding Director of the Welcoming International program. An accomplished social entrepreneur, Mr. Lubell inspires people to build a different kind of world — one that embraces immigrants and refugees, and fosters opportunity for all. Welcoming America, established in 2009, works with over 200 cities and towns across the U.S., supporting NGO’s and local governments to transform their communities into inclusive places where everyone thrives.
Regina Omlor (moderator) is the Senior Program Officer for Africa at Relief International, a global nonprofit that provides humanitarian and development assistance to vulnerable communities in fragile contexts across Africa, Middle East, and Asia. Since joining Relief International in 2017 in Washington DC, she has completed short-term assignments in Uganda, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Jordan, and the Philippines. Prior to Relief International, Ms. Omlor worked with Partner4Work, the workforce development organization for the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County and volunteered in the Office of Mayor Peduto. She has gained experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in Europe and the United States. Originally from Kenya, Ms. Omlor grew up in Germany and has lived in France, Belgium, and the United States.

A “Law and Order” Election: The Criminal Justice System and Political Discourse
2020-10-08 13:00 - 14:00
In current polls, the criminal justice system is one of the top three issues Americans are concerned about in the upcoming elections. The American Council on Germany and Heidelberg University Association are proud to feature Staten Island NY District Attorney, former U. S. Congressman, and Heidelberg alumnus Michael McMahon in conversation with Annett Meiritz, a U.S. Correspondent for the Handelsblatt Media Group based in Washington DC. Please join us for a discussion on the unprecedented way in which decisions being made by local police and prosecutors are taking on a national dimension. Upon taking office in 2016, District Attorney Michael McMahon made it a priority to transform the Richmond County DA’s Office (RCDA) into a modern prosecutor’s office focused on precision prosecution, problem-solving crime prevention, and bridge building between law enforcement and the communities it protects.
Mr. McMahon has utilized his broad and deep experience in law and public service to implement and pursue the issues he promised Staten Islanders to address. He has successfully attacked the Island’s criminal justice issues: From the opioid epidemic to traditional street crime and gun violence; from domestic violence to economic crime; from crimes against our children to assaults on women and seniors, and even creating a new unit to protect animals. He continues to work with partners in law enforcement, especially our police officers and detectives, to drive down crime numbers and keep Staten Islanders safer.
Prior to serving as District Attorney, Mr. McMahon was extremely active in a career serving the people of Staten Island on the local, city, state, and federal levels. In 2001, he successfully ran for the North Shore City Council seat where he served for three terms. In November 2008, he was elected to represent Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn in the U.S. House of Representatives.
DA McMahon studied at Universität Heidelberg from 1980-1982 and was at the the Institut für Deutsch als Fremdsprache Philologie.
Annett Meiritz is the U.S. Correspondent for Germany‘s leading business, trade and finance daily Handelsblatt. She covers the US-Administration and Congress, usually with an economic angle. Previously she worked as Parliamentary Correspondent for Germany‘s leading news portal Spiegel Online, based in Berlin. She holds a B.A. degree in Modern History and Media Science and was educated to be a Journalist at Berlin Journalism School.

Beyond the Campaign Trail: The Future of the American Presidency
2020-10-09 09:00 - 10:00
Roughly four weeks ahead of Election Day, the world is again focused on the U.S. electoral map. No day passes without pollsters offering their latest take on the most recent numbers and data. But, looking beyond the election on November 3, invites a larger question: No matter whether the next President is named Biden or Trump, what will the future of the American presidency look like? And what role will Democrats and Republicans play in shaping the presidency for the years to come?
Join us for a discussion with veteran journalists Peter Baker (co-author of “The Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James A. Baker III”) and David Frum (“Trumpocalypse: Restoring American Democracy”), who will take a look beyond the campaign trail, during the final stretch of a contested race for the White House. The moderated discussion will last about 35 minutes, followed by 25 minutes of Q&A.
This is the third session of the transatlantic virtual event series Road to Election Night & Beyond #R2EN, which is organized and hosted by several transatlantic institutions and political foundations. More information on the virtual series can be found at www.landing.berlin-election-night.de.
Please note: Registered participants will receive the dial-in details via e-mail one day ahead of the event. This discussion will be on the record and will be posted afterward in its entirety on Youtube.
Registration has ended for this event.

The “Tech Gap”: Race, Income Equality, and the Digital Divide
2020-10-12 11:00 - 12:00
When the pandemic struck, millions of people across the United States and in Germany were forced to work from home and attend school remotely. While for many, this was an easy transition; others were left without access to high-speed internet and computers or tablets. The digital divide broke down along economic and racial lines – showing that structural racism runs deeper than many previously thought.

Join us on Monday, October 12, at 11 am ET for a conversation with two experts on how the digital divide results from racial and income inequality.
Janina Kugel is a former Siemens AG senior executive who has extensive experience in the fields of human resources and diversity.
Apjit Walia is Managing Director and the Global Head of Technology Investment Strategy at Deutsche Bank. He recently published a report on race and the digital divide.

Janina Kugel is a Non-Executive Board Member, Senior Advisor, and Speaker. Prior to this, she was Chief Human Resources Officer and a member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG with global responsibility for Human Resources, including the areas of Diversity, Learning and Education, Social Innovation, and Environmental Protection, Health Management and Safety (EHS).
Janina started her career as a management consultant at Accenture. During this period, she worked for international companies throughout Europe and the United States, mainly focusing on process reengineering, restructuring and organizational design.
After moving into industrial organizations, she held several management and leadership positions at Siemens in the areas of Business Strategy and Human Resources. At Osram Lighting Janina served as Chief Human Resources Officer, where she had global responsibility for Human Resources, Executive Development and Diversity.
Janina is a non-executive board member of Konecranes Oyj, Finland and the German Pension Benefit Guaranty Association. She is an active supporter of various national and international diversity initiatives. She is also a member of the international Advisory Board of Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, Germany and IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. She is serving as board member of several government initiatives such as the Innovation Council (Federal Ministry of Digitization) and the “Council of future of work” (Federal Ministry for Labor and Social Affairs).
Janina holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Mainz, Germany, and the University of Verona, Italy.
Apjit Walia is a Global Technology and Macro Investor. He is currently the Managing Director & Global Head of Technology Investment Strategy at Deutsche Bank.
Apjit spent a decade as a Senior Portfolio Manager running Technology focused Macro funds at some of the world’s largest hedge funds including Caxton Associates and Moore Capital with Capital Allocation in excess of $1 Billion. Prior to being a hedge fund manager, he was the Managing Director and Lead Technology analyst at RBC Capital where he was ranked Number 1 globally in each year of coverage and cited as the bank’s most impactful analyst on Wall Street.
Apjit has won several awards including the Wall Street Journal’s “Best on the Street”. He has been widely featured in print and visual media including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Financial Times, Forbes, CNBC, Bloomberg, BBC and cited as “Walia is the Ax on Intel’, “Apjit Walia is usually the first to call the Semiconductor and Tech cycle’, “Apjit is uncanny with his calls on Tech”, “Walia connects Tech to the Economy better than anyone on Wall Street”. Apjit grew up in three continents and is fluent in four languages.
He majored in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of London with focus on Aircraft Propulsion. Apjit is Vice-chairman of the Mehar Trust that focuses on girl empowerment in rural parts of the world.

The FUTURE FORUM: Building Biopolis
2020-10-14 08:00 - 2020-10-17 17:00
Cities are causing climate change. They consume the most resources, emit pollution, and produce tons of waste. At the same time, cities are also severely threatened by the climate crisis. As innovation hubs, rich in influence and intellectual and creative potential, cities are key players in the fight against climate change.
“Cities are where the climate battle will largely be won or lost.” -Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General
The FUTURE FORUM: Building Biopolis offers attendees the opportunity to envision a new kind of green city, a Biopolis, dedicated to conservation and prioritizing innovations in planning, mobility, business and energy that equally protect the health and wellbeing of its land, animals, and inhabitants.
This program is organized by The German Center for Research and Innovation (DWIH) New York, and supported by the American Council on Germany. For further information please visit https://www.dwih-futureforum.org/

The Future of the Multilateral Order
2020-10-16 08:30 - 10:00
Over the past 75 years, globalization and global governance have been strongholds of universal peace and prosperity. More recently, multilateral institutions struggle to enable shared, fair and effective solutions for crisis phenomena such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Our moderated discussion will provide an outlook on the future of multilateralism. How can the structures of international cooperation be defended and redesigned? Which existing institutions may remodel the rules of multilateral engagement? And what role do newly founded organizations such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank play?
Join us on October 16 at 8:30am ET for a discussion with Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank, and Robert B. Zoellick, former President of the World Bank, U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State; and moderated by Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Head of External Policy at the Federation of German Industries (BDI).
The moderated discussion will last about 40 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of Q&A. This is the fourth session of the transatlantic virtual event series Road to Election Night & Beyond #R2EN, which is organized and hosted by several transatlantic institutions and political
foundations. More information on the virtual series can be found at www.landing.berlin-electionnight.de.
Registration for this event has ended

A Conversation between Charlotte and Krefeld
2020-10-20 11:00 - 12:00
The American Council on Germany has launched a new series of online meetings titled [virtual] Transatlantic Town Halls: German-American Mayors Forum, held under the auspices of WunderbarTogether USA 2020, a comprehensive and collaborative initiative funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by the Goethe-Institut.
A Conversation between Charlotte and Krefeld
with Mayor Vi Lyles and Lord Mayor Frank Meyer
October 20, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT

The sister city relationship between Charlotte and Krefeld was established in 1986. Krefeld’s industrial economy and the common influence of the textile industries was one of the initial reasons for the partnership. In the intervening years since then, both cities have undergone significant structural change.
Join the American Council on Germany for a conversation with Vi Lyles, Mayor of Charlotte, and Frank Meyer, Lord Mayor of Krefeld, about how their cities have addressed structural change and the lessons learned. Vi Alexander Lyles, a Democrat, is now in her second term as Mayor of Charlotte. A proud history of public service distinguishes Mayor Lyles’ career in Charlotte. Prior to her election as Mayor, she served two terms on the City Council as an at-large representative from 2013 to 2017 and was voted mayor pro tem by her peers for two of those years. Even before turning to elected office, Mayor Lyles was a valued city employee. Highlights of her career of service include creating the city’s first capital budget and leading the restructuring of government programs to evaluate and assess performance audits for city programs. Mayor Lyles holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Queens University, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a trained facilitator and executive coach, completing programs at the Institute of Government, North Carolina State University and the Lee Institute’s American Leadership Forum.
As a genuine Krefeld native, long-standing local politician and administrative expert, Frank Meyer has been Lord Mayor of the city of Krefeld since 2015, in September 2020 he was re-elected for another five years. In April 2018 he also took over responsibilities for Krefeld’s cultural department. Born in Krefeld in 1974, he spent his childhood and youth in Krefeld-Uerdingen, where he completed his high school diploma. In summer 1993, he spent four weeks in Charlotte as an exchange student. Up to this day, he still keeps in touch with the family he lived with during this time. Mr. Meyer completed his studies at the University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration. Later, he also obtained a Master of Arts in political management and administration and became the office manager for Siegmund Ehrmund (SPD), a member of the German Bundestag. Mr. Meyer has been politically active in the Social Democratic Party (SPD) since 1992 and was elected to Krefeld’s city council in 1999. From 2009 to 2015 he served as a deputy mayor.

Digitale Souveränität der USA - wer bestimmt den nächsten Präsidenten?
2020-10-21 11:00 - 12:00
Experten und Geheimdienste warnen: Der US-Wahlkampf könnte noch anfälliger für Störversuche sein als der aus dem Jahr 2016. Die Angreifer haben aufgerüstet und versuchen, auch durch Influencer in den sozialen Medien Einfluss zu nehmen. Die Regulierung solcher Veröffentlichungen gestaltet sich jedoch schwierig.
Digitale Wahlsysteme sind erschreckend anfällig für Angriffe und Manipulationen. Für die Glaubwürdigkeit der Demokratie ist das keine gute Nachricht.
Die Lösung ist sowohl digital als auch analog. In unserer Expertenrunde diskutieren wir über diese Gefahren sowie über Maßnahmen und deren Auswirkungen. Diskutieren sie mit.
Gesprächspartner für diese Diskussion sind:
Dr. Sandro Gaycken, Gründer und Direktor des Digital Society Instituts an der European School of Management and Technology in Berlin. Er ist ein ehemaliger Aktivist im Chaos Computer Club und bezeichnet sich als militärischer Cybertheoretiker. Gaycken berät die Bundesregierung sowie die NATO in Fragen der IT, des Cyberkrieges und der Geheimhaltung. Er studierte Philosophie und Physik an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin und wurde 2008 an der Universität Bielefeld promoviert.
Wolfram von Heynitz, in den vergangenen zwei Jahren leitete er den Koordinierungsstab für Cyber-Außenpolitik und Cybersicherheit im Auswärtigen Amt und ist seit Kurzem Stellvertretender Generalkonsul der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in New York. Im Diplomatischen Dienst war er seit 2003 in den Auslandsvertretungen Deutschlands in Azerbaijan, Tel Aviv und Dublin tätig. Von 1997 bis1999 hat von Heynitz im Bundespräsidialamt gearbeitet. Er hat in Harvard, an der Freien Universität und an der Humboldt Universität in Berlin Philosophie und Recht studiert.

A Conversation between St. Louis and Stuttgart
2020-10-23 11:30 - 12:30
The American Council on Germany has launched a new series of online meetings titled [virtual] Transatlantic Town Halls: German-American Mayors Forum, held under the auspices of WunderbarTogether USA 2020, a comprehensive and collaborative initiative funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by the Goethe-Institut.

A Conversation between St. Louis and Stuttgart
with Mayor Lyda Krewson and Lord Mayor Fritz Kuhn
October 23, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm EDT

In 2020 St. Louis and Stuttgart are celebrating the 60th anniversary of their sister city relationship which was established to encourage people-to-people and government-to-government interaction. Since 1960, numerous exchanges have taken place between the two cities that have included: business and government leaders, medical professionals, high school and university students and faculty, choral groups, chamber musicians, ballet troupes, orchestras, and athletes.
Join the American Council on Germany for a conversation with Lyda Krewson, Mayor of St. Louis, and Fritz Kuhn, Lord Mayor of Stuttgart, about this successful sister city relationship, the local impact of COVID-19, and how they are addressing climate change.

In April 2017, Lyda Krewson won a historic election to become the first woman to serve as mayor of St. Louis. Prior to the election, Krewson served as 28th Ward Alderwoman. She is also a CPA and served as the CFO for an international design firm until her election as Mayor in 2017. As Mayor, Krewson has focused intently on public safety and also led the effort to pass a proposition supporting a half-cent sales tax to provide salary and benefit increases for police and firefighters, and a million each for summer jobs, recreation for kids, mental health, and demolition of vacant buildings. After graduating with an education degree from Truman State University, Krewson moved to St. Louis where she earned her accounting degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Later she worked for Deloitte for 7 years.
Fritz Kuhn was elected Lord Mayor of Stuttgart for an eight-year term in 2012. Prior to becoming Lord Mayor, Mr. Kuhn served as member of the German Bundestag with the Green Party from 2002 until 2012. He was one of the two federal chairpersons of Alliance ’90/The Greens in 2000 to 2002. Mr. Kuhn Kuhn was a member of the state parliament of Baden-Württemberg from 1984 to 1998 and again from 1992 to 2000. In the year in between, he worked as a Professor of Linguistic Communication in the years in between. Mr. Kuhn was one of the founding members of the Green Party in the Federal Republic of Germany in 1980. He studied German and philosophy at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and completed his Master’s in the field of linguistics at the University of Tübingen.

Resilience and Adaptation: Migration Policy in Europe and the United States
2020-10-27 11:00 - 12:00
Border closures, regional lock-downs, and layoffs of migrant workers due to the pandemic have impacted the movement of people – and fundamentally changed the nature of global migration. What are the repercussions of the inability of migrant workers to travel to agricultural fields or other places of work? Will public opinion toward migrants change for the better given that labor migrants often serve as essential workers? Or will xenophobia and resentment increase in light of the economic crisis? How are governments in Europe and the United States addressing migration during a simultaneous public health and economic crisis?
Speakers:
Theresa Brown, Director of Immigration and Cross-Border Policy, Bipartisan Policy Center
Cristobal Ramón, Senior Policy Analyst, Bipartisan Policy Center
Dr. J. Olaf Kleist, Senior Researcher, German Centre for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM)

A World in Danger: The Future of US-European Relations
2020-10-27 13:00 - 14:00
“A World in Danger: The Future of US-European Relations”
with
Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger
Chairman of the Munich Security Conference,
and former German Ambassador to the United States
Ambassador Christopher Hill
WorldDenver Board Member,
and former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Macedonia, Poland, and South Korea
Tuesday, October 27, 2020
1:00 – 2:00 pm ET
Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger (1978 ACG Young Leader) has been Chairman of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) since 2008. He is Senior Professor for Security Policy and Diplomatic Practice at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin and Honorary Professor at the University of Tübingen. He advises the governments, international organizations, and the private sector on strategic issues. Over the course of his long diplomatic career, Amb. Ischinger’s roles included State Secretary in the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and German ambassador in Washington D.C. and London. Wolfgang Ischinger studied law at the universities of Bonn and Geneva. Subsequently, he studied International Law, International Economic Relations, and Contemporary History at Fletcher School of Law as well as Diplomacy and at Harvard Law School (M.A., Fletcher School, 1973).
Ambassador Christopher Hill is currently the Chief Global Advisor and professor of the practice in diplomacy at the University of Denver. Prior to this position, he was the dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University, a position he held from September 2010 to December 2017. Ambassador Hill is a former career diplomat, a four-time ambassador, nominated by three presidents, whose last post was as ambassador to Iraq, April 2009 until August 2010. Prior to Iraq, Hill served as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific affairs from 2005 until 2009, during which he was also the head of the U.S. delegation to the Six Party Talks on the North Korean nuclear issue. Earlier, he was the U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Korea. Previously he served as U.S. ambassador to Poland (2000-2004), ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia (1996-1999), and special envoy to Kosovo (1998-1999). He also served as a Special Assistant to the President and a Senior Director on the Staff of the National Security Council, 1999-2000.

Changing Demographics: Diversity in the United States and Germany
2020-10-29 10:00 - 11:00
As part of the virtual 2020 German-American Conference, the American Council on Germany and Atlantik-Brücke cordially invite you to join a video discussion on:
Changing Demographics: Diversity in the United States and Germany
October 29 at 10:00 am EST / 5:00 pm CEST
Speakers:
Dr. Petra Bendel, Professor of Political Science, Erlangen-Nürnberg University
Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Janet Murguia, President and CEO, UNIDOS
Cem Oezdemir, Member of the Bundestag (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Moderator:
Michael Werz, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress
In the coming decades, the demographics of Germany and the United States will undergo profound changes. The United States is likely to become a “minority-majority” country by the early 2040s, and German society is becoming increasingly diverse – with nearly a quarter of the population with a migration background – and also aging quickly. How can transatlantic relations become more inclusive and how will demographic shifts help – or hinder – transatlantic cooperation, particularly between Germany and the United States?
Registration for this discussion has ended.

Resilience and Adaption: Pandemic, Politics, and Public Trust in Democracy
2020-11-03 11:00 - 12:00
Public trust is critical in the functioning of democracies. Citizens do not need to agree with every government policy or trust each individual officeholder — but they do need to have confidence that democratic institutions and practices protect their interest, act responsibly, and uphold the rule of law. In recent years, in the United States and Europe public trust in government has declined. COVID-19 has led to an unprecedented series of crises. Is the pandemic leading to greater confidence in democratic institutions by rallying people around the common cause of fighting the health crisis and economic disruption? Or are we witnessing a further deterioration of trust and deeper political polarization?
Join 1014 and the American Council on Germany on Election Day for a discussion with Thomas Carothers, Senior Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Laura Krause, Director of More in Common, Germany. Thomas Carothers is Senior Vice President for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. In that capacity, he oversees all of the research programs at Carnegie. He also directs the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program and carries out research and writing on democracy-related issues. He is a leading authority on international support for democracy, human rights, governance, the rule of law, and civil society. He has worked on democracy assistance projects for many organizations and carried out extensive field research on aid efforts around the world.
He is the author or editor of ten critically acclaimed books and many articles in prominent journals and newspapers, including most recently, Democracies Divided: The Global Challenge of Political Polarization (Brookings Press, 2019, co-edited with Andrew O’Donohue). He has been a visiting faculty member at the Central European University in Budapest, Nuffield College, Oxford University, and Johns Hopkins SAIS.
Prior to joining the Endowment, Mr. Carothers practiced international and financial law at Arnold & Porter and served as an attorney adviser in the office of the legal adviser of the U.S. Department of State.
Laura Krause is the Director of More in Common, Germany, an organization that strives to build more united, inclusive and resilient societies in which people believe that what they have in common is stronger than what divides them. She joined More in Common from the Berlin-based think tank Das Progressive Zentrum where she headed the Future of Democracy program and built up the Democracy Lab for democratic innovations. She holds a Master’s Degree from the Free University of Berlin and was a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Washington. She published on institutional reform, digital democracy, and women in politics. She has twice been named one of “40 under 40” in Germany and took part in the 2018 negotiations to form the German coalition government.
