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.
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. On October 12, the ACG hosted a discussion on how the digital divide results from racial and income inequality with Janina Kugel, former Siemens AG senior executive who has extensive experience in the fields of human resources and diversity; and Apjit Walia, Managing Director and the Global Head of Technology Investment Strategy at Deutsche Bank.
On October 9, 2020, the third event in the series Road to Election Night & Beyond – or #R2EN – was held. “Beyond the Campaign Trail: The Future of the American Presidency” featured Peter Baker, Chief White House Correspondent for The New York Times, and David Frum, Staff Writer for The Atlantic, and was moderated by ACG Young Leader alumna Vendeline von Bredow, European Business and Finance Correspondent for The Economist.
Roughly four weeks ahead of Election Day, the world is focused on the U.S. 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? This event is part of a series of events organized by a consortium of transatlantic organizations and German political foundations. More information on the series can be found here: https://landing.berlin-election-night.de.
In current polls, the criminal justice system is one of the top three issues Americans are concerned about in the upcoming elections. On October 8, the ACG and Heidelberg University Association featured 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, on the unprecedented way in which decisions being made by local police and prosecutors are taking on a national dimension.
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.
On October 8, the ACG and the World Affairs Council Pittsburgh hosted a discussion with Regina Omlor, Senior Program Officer for Africa at Relief International, David Lubell, Founding Director of the Welcoming International, and Victoria Rietig, Head of Migration Program at the German Council on Foreign Relations.
This event is part of WunderbarTogether USA 2020, a comprehensive and collaborative initiative funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by the Goethe-Institut.
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 are the challenges of reporting from Germany to an American audience and vice versa? Speakers are: Melissa Eddy, Correspondent in Germany for The New York Times; Ines Pohl, Washington Bureau Chief for Deutsche Welle; and Andrew Harding, BBC Africa correspondent Johannesburg; and moderated by Leonard Novy.