Berlin and Los Angeles have been sister cities since 1967. Originally launched by former Berliners who had emigrated to the U.S. to work in the film industry, culture and the arts have always been a cornerstone for the relationship. Both the Villa Aurora and the Thomas Mann House have served as institutional ties connecting the two cities. More recently, economic bonds between the two cities have been increasing including exchange in the areas of environmental and climate protection and renewable energy, as well as cooperation in the startup sector. On December 7, the ACG hosted a conversation between State Secretary Christian Gaebler, Head of the Berlin Senate Chancellery, and
Ambassador Nina Hachigian, Deputy Mayor of International Affairs, Los Angeles.
This virtual event was part of the American Council on Germany’s 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.
At the end of November, the head of the Bank of England warned that the failure to secure a trade deal with the European Union would do more damage to the U.K. economy over the long run than the coronavirus pandemic. Time is running out for negotiators as they enter the final stretch to reach a deal. On December 4, the ACG and 1014 hosted a discussion on the implications of Brexit with Heather Conley, Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia, and the Arctic and Director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies; Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger, Foreign Editor of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung; and David Smith, Washington Bureau Chief for The Guardian.
On December 3, 2020, the 8th #R2EN virtual discussion focused on Migration, Flight, and U.S. Immigration Policy under President Biden. The event featured T. Alexander Aleinikoff, University Professor and Director of the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility at The New School (NYC), Roberto Suro, Professor of Journalism and Public Policy at the University of Southern California, and Eric P. Schwartz, President of Refugees International and former US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration (2009-2011). Berit Ebert, Vice President of Programs of the American Academy in Berlin, moderated the discussion. It is part of the virtual Road to Election Night & Beyond, which the ACG organizes in cooperation with several Berlin-based transatlantic institutions and political foundations.
This year, the coronavirus crisis has shown that Europe and the United States face similar challenges – and has underscored how countries must work together to meet those challenges. With a new administration entering office in the United States in January and elections in Germany in the fall, there are opportunities to reinvent the transatlantic agenda to address the common challenges facing Europe and the United States. As part of the 2020 [virtual] German-American Conference, on December 2, the ACG and Atlantik-Brücke hosted a discussion with Ambassador John B. Emerson and Sigmar Gabriel, the Chairmen of both organizations, who provided insights into what 2021 might bring for transatlantic relations.
There have always been ups and downs in the German-American relationship. With the election of Joe Biden, many Germans hope for a “Neustart” for the transatlantic alliance. The tone and tenor are likely to change – and there are common challenges facing Europe and the United States. However, the partnership is not without its controversial sticking points
On November 30, the ACG hosted a discussion with Bundestag Member Peter Beyer (CDU), who also serves as Coordinator for Transatlantic Cooperation in the German Federal Foreign Office, who discussed the priorities and challenges in developing a transatlantic agenda.
This discussion is part of a series of [virtual] Transatlantic Town Halls: German Bundestag Member Dialogues, which is being organized by the ACG 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.