American Council On Germany Inc

THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON GERMANY (ACG) IS AN INDEPENDENT, NONPARTISAN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WAS FOUNDED IN 1952 TO STRENGTHEN GERMAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS.

DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, IN 2021 THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON GERMANY WAS FORCED TO ENGAGE IN ONLINE PROGRAMMING FOR MUCH OF THE YEAR. AS OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED THEMSELVES, THE ACG WAS ABLE TO ORGANIZE IN-PERSON GATHERINGS IN NEW YORK AND AT SOME OF ITS ERIC M. WARBURG CHAPTERS.DESPITE THESE CONSTRAINTS, THE ACG WAS ABLE TO REMAIN RELEVANT BY REACTING TO CURRENT EVENTS IN REAL TIME BY HOSTING OR CO-HOSTING NEARLY 200 ONLINE POLICY DISCUSSIONS ON A RANGE OF ISSUES SHAPING THE TRANSATLANTIC AGENDA. TOPICS INCLUDED THE COVID-19 RESPONSE, ECONOMIC CHALLENGES AND RECOVERY, THE RISE OF CHINA, THE IMPACT OF BREXIT, POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN GERMANY AND EUROPE, THE FUTURE OF THE TRANSATLANTIC PARTNERSHIP, AND MORE. THESE TIMELY EVENTS INVOLVED MORE THAN 200 EXPERTS AND EXTERNAL MODERATORS (NEARLY 50 PERCENT OF WHOM ARE WOMEN) FROM EUROPE AND ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. THROUGH OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING, THE ACG REACHED MORE THAN 15,000 UNIQUE VIEWERS INCLUDING MEMBERS, YOUNG LEADER ALUMNI, FELLOWSHIP ALUMNI, AND OTHER FRIENDS IN OUR 22 ERIC M. WARBURG CHAPTERS AND BEYOND. WITH VIEWERS FROM ALL 50 U.S. STATES AND ALL 16 BUNDESLANDER AND FROM MORE THAN 60 OTHER COUNTRIES ACGS PROGRAMMING HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS ARE NOT ONLY RELEVANT BUT ALSO OF GREAT INTEREST AROUND THE WORLD.THE COUNCIL STARTED A WEEKLY VIRTUAL KAFFEEPAUSE WITH A JOURNALIST BASED IN BERLIN TO DISCUSS THE NEWS BEHIND THE HEADLINES. THIS SERIES HAS DEVELOPED ITS OWN FOLLOWING. WORKING WITH THE NEW YORK-BASED NON-PROFIT 1014, THE ACG CONTINUED THE RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION SERIES WHICH FEATURES A GERMAN AND AMERICAN EXPERT DISCUSSING THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON ISSUES SUCH AS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS, HOSPITALS, TRAVEL AND TOURISM, AND MORE.BUILDING ON THE [VIRTUAL] TRANSATLANTIC TOWN HALLS FEATURING MAYORS FROM GERMAN AND AMERICAN CITIES, THE ACG BROUGHT TOGETHER YOUNG PEOPLE WORKING IN YOUTH COUNCILS IN GERMAN AND AMERICAN SISTER CITIES FOR AN EXCHANGE OF IDEAS.THE ACG ALSO HOSTED VIRTUAL DISCUSSIONS WITH BUNDESTAG MEMBERS FOCUSED ON THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC-HEALTH, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL CRISES. THESE EVENTS HONED IN ON ISSUES SUCH AS HEALTH-CARE INFRASTRUCTURE, URBAN DEVELOPMENT, TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, DIGITALIZATION AND DIGITAL ACCESS, EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL EQUITY AND COHESION, AND GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION WITH CITIZENS.DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, THE ACG WAS UNABLE TO HOLD SOME OF ITS FLAGSHIP PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE AMERICAN-GERMAN YOUNG LEADERS CONFERENCE. IT WAS ALSO NOT POSSIBLE FOR FELLOWS TO TRAVEL OR FOR STUDY TOURS OR LEADERSHIP MISSIONS TO BE CARRIED OUT.