The spread of COVID-19 and the ensuing global lock-down as governments try to slow the spread of the corona virus has tested individuals and institutions around the world. Since March of 2020, the ACG has stepped up its digital programming by hosting webinars and video discussions which bring together policy makers and thought leaders from both sides of the Atlantic to discuss some of the key issues shaping transatlantic relations in an unprecedented time. In addition to organizing events on its own, the ACG has also partnered with other organizations such as 1014 and Atlantik-Brücke to launch new series designed to reach beyond the ACG community.
On June 6, the American Council on Germany and the American Friends of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation hosted a virtual discussion about fake scientific papers with neuropsychologist Prof. Dr. Bernhard Sabel, Director of the Institute for Medical Psychology at the Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg, and Dr. Elisabeth Malsch, a leader in the forensics practice at Thornton Tomasetti in New York.
On May 31, the American Council on Germany and the Aspen Institute Germany held a discussion on challenges facing the education field with German and American state legislators, including Senator Raumesh Akbari (D), Tennessee State Senate; Representative Edward DeLaney (D), Indiana House of Representatives; Jochen Ott (SPD), State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia; Andreas Sturm (CDU), State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg; and Representative Steven Ultrino (D), Massachusetts General Court.
The ACG regularly hosts a discussion with a journalist based in Germany on the topics making the headlines and shaping political discourse. On May 22, the ACG held a Kaffeepause with Melanie Amann, Co-Editor-in-Chief for Der Spiegel.
On May 17, the ACG hosted a virtual discussion about Germany’s support of Ukraine with Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger, former Foreign Editor at the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
The ACG regularly hosts a discussion with a journalist based in Germany on the topics making the headlines and shaping political discourse. On May 15, the ACG hosted a Kaffeepause with Bojan Pancevski, Germany Correspondent for The Wall Street Journal.