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 January 19, 2021, the ACG hosted a webinar with Dr. Thomas de Maizière, Member of the Bundestag (CDU) and former Defense Minister, and Dr. A. Wess Mitchell, Vice Chairman of CEPA and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe, who discussed the findings of the independent Reflection Group on the future strategic concept for NATO 2030, established by Secretary General Stoltenberg, which they chaired over the course of nine months in 2020.
The recent attack on the U.S. Capitol and incidents in other Western democracies – such as the attempt to storm the Reichstag building in Berlin in August 2020 – demonstrate how fragile our democracies are. On January 15, the ACG and 1014 hosted a discussion with Pam Campos-Palma, Political Strategist and Consultant, and Alexander Sängerlaub, Director of futur eins; and moderated by ACG Fellowship alum Dr. Nicholas Boston, Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at Lehman College of the City University of New York, and Visiting Professor of Communications at John Cabot University in Rome, Italy.
On Wednesday, January 6, the world was watching as thousands of pro-Trump protesters convened outside the U.S. Capitol. They disrupted a joint session of Congress to count the electoral votes and formalize Joe Biden’s election victory. After breaching the perimeter, the rioters occupied and vandalized parts of the building.
As the first event of 2021, the ACG and Freunde des American Council on Germany hosted a discussion with Juliane Schäuble, the U.S. Correspondent for the Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel and NPR’s Rob Schmitz.
As we head into the holiday season, we might find our travel plans impacted by Covid-regulations. On December 15, the ACG and 1014 hosted a discussion with Ricarda Lindner, Regional Manager for the Americas and Director of the U.S. Office of the German National Tourist Office, and Guy Martin (1991 ACG Journalism Fellow), Senior Correspondent for Conde Nast Traveler and Senior Contributor at Forbes, on the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry.
The Austin-Koblenz sister city relationship was established in 1992. The partnership connects citizens through a variety of cultural and economic exchanges and has had a strong focus on education and workforce development. On December 11, the ACG hosted a discussion with Mayor Steve Adler of Austin and Lord Mayor David Langner of Koblenz on the current issues confronting their respective communities, workforce preparedness, and how they are preparing for the future.
This virtual event was part of the American Council on Germany’s new series 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.