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 25 the American Council on Germany and Atlantik-Brücke hosted a fireside chat with Ambassador Victoria Nuland, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. The conversation was moderated by ACG Chairman Ambassador John B. Emerson and AB Chairman Sigmar Gabriel.
The American Council on Germany and the Aspen Institute Germany hosted the fourth event in our virtual event series State-to-State: German-American State Legislator Dialogue bringing together state legislators to discuss how subnational actors have to step up to address common transatlantic challenges. On June 23, Ellen Demuth (CDU), Member of the State Parliament of Rhineland-Palatinate; Philipp da Cunha (SPD), Member of State Parliament of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania; Senator Teresa Ruiz (D), New Jersey State Senat; and Senator Jerry Sonnenberg (R), Colorado State Senate, discussed the rural-urban divide in terms of infrastructure in their states and efforts being undertaken to expand traditional infrastructure (buildings, water systems and transportation), broadband internet, and health care.
Each week, the ACG hosts a discussion with a journalist based in Germany on the topics making the headlines and shaping political discourse in Berlin. On June 21, the ACG hosted a discussion with Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, host of Commonground Berlin.
We are experiencing a global shortage in the supply of semiconductors – the microchips at the heart of countless products in today’s economy. From personal computers and cars to washing machines and even toasters, microchips are in great demand. As companies prepare to take on their suppliers in Asia, governments in the United States and Europe explore ways to incentivize semiconductor production at home. On June 16, the American Council on Germany hosted a discussion with Dr. Reinhard Ploss, the CEO of Infineon Technologies AG, about the challenges – and opportunities – of the current shortage for companies, manufacturers, and governments
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended nearly everything we considered to be normal—and that includes how architects and planners think about interior and outdoor spaces. We have changed how we live, work, and travel, how we navigate space, and what we expect regarding safety and sanitation. In the field of design and architecture, the pandemic has upended workflows and standards. Although there is still some uncertainty about the future, as we emerge from the pandemic the time is ripe for rethinking how we will use space moving forward. On June 15, the ACG and 1014 hosted a discussion with architects Jürgen Mayer H. and Gideon Shapiro.