The Aspen Institute Germany is dedicated to strengthening the transatlantic partnership and holds mutual understanding at the core of its mission. The Transatlantic Program facilitates open, value-based dialogue on key challenges facing the transatlantic relationship. It covers a wide range of topics including foreign and security policy, global order and multilateralism, trade and finance, climate and energy, agriculture, and – in cooperation with the Digital Program – the rising influence of technology on the international system. The Program’s many initiatives provide a platform for both public and off-the-record discussions. Transatlantic exchange programs such as the “Laboratories of Democracy Initiative”, the “U.S.-German Forum Future Agriculture” or the “Future Cities – A Transatlantic Townhall Project” bring together experts and decision-makers to discuss policy recommendations on shared challenges and to establish new personal networks across the Atlantic. In public events and the podcast “America’s Choice,” the Institute addresses political developments in the United States and transatlantic relations.
America‘s Choice – Der USA-Podcast
“America’s Choice – Der USA-Podcast” is a German-language podcast on U.S. politics, co-produced by the Aspen Institute Germany and the Atlantik-Brücke. The podcast addresses political developments in the United States, the Biden administration’s domestic and foreign policy priorities, and the implications for transatlantic relations.
Future Cities – A Transatlantic Townhall Project
The transatlantic project „Future Cities – A Transatlantic Townhall Project“ brings together a diverse group of representatives from politics, culture, sports, art, health, media as well as many other relevant urban actors from Berlin, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. Over the course of two years and through the scenario planning methodology, the goal is to raise awareness for the complexity of the city of tomorrow, provide new impetus for sustainable and future-oriented development within these cities, and promoting transatlantic exchange between them.
Laboratories of Democracy Initiative
The Laboratories of Democracy Initiative brings together German and U.S. American state legislators to facilitate a value-based discussion and an exchange of ideas about how to tackle current international policy challenges on a subnational level. It focuses on the role of state legislators in creating policy solutions and helps to build networks beyond the capitals.
State-to-State: German American State Legislator Dialogue
The Aspen Institute Germany and the American Council on Germany jointly host the „State-to-State: German-American State Legislator Dialogue” to further explore collaboration at the state-level. The goal is to provide a platform for subnational exchange and in-depth discussions on shared challenges amongst German and U.S. American state legislators and the public.
U.S.-German Forum Future Agriculture
The U.S.-German Forum Future Agriculture promotes transatlantic dialogue in the field of agriculture and in rural regions and paves the way for a more environmentally, economically and socially sustainable agricultural future. In bringing together German and U.S.-American farmers and key agricultural stakeholders from research and business, the two-year project fosters innovative solutions and builds new transatlantic networks.
Transatlantic Agriculture Dialogue Tour
The “Transatlantic Agriculture Dialogue Tour” is a strategic dialogue format on agriculture that brings U.S. agricultural stakeholders to Germany to provide new ideas for the national discourses of both countries. Strengthening the mutual transatlantic understanding as well as fostering knowledge transfer in and around agriculture will be key for the project. The project will be implemented in the Berlin-Brandenburg region in November 2023.
Berlin Transatlantic Forum
The 2014 inaugurated Berlin Transatlantic Forum addressed the most pressing challenges jointly facing Europe and the United States. With Experts and decision-makers from both sides, questions on a broad range of topics were discussed. The conference was preceded by a workshop that gave opportunity for in-depth discussion of key topics of transatlantic concern.
Bundestag and Congress Staffers Exchange Program
From 2014 to 2018, the Bundestag and Congress Staffers Exchange Program to Berlin and Washington D.C. brought together legislative and committee staff from Germany and the United States to strengthen transatlantic ties on a working level and foster open dialog on current issues facing the transatlantic community. Topics discussed ranged from democracy and multilateralism to trade and security questions.
German-American Dialog
From 2015 to 2017, the German-American Dialog brought together federal legislators and civil society representatives from the United States and Germany in order to strengthen inter-parliamentary as well as civil-society dialog. The American delegation traveled to Berlin, visited local companies together with Members of the Bundestag and participants discussed current and future challenges to the transatlantic community.
Trilateral Dialog with Parlamentariers from Germany, Russia, and the U.S.
In 2016 and 2019, Aspen Germany’s Trilateral Dialog brought together legislators and expert scholars from the Federal Republic of Germany, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America in a confidential, off-the-record setting to find entry points and to stimulate the discussion between the parliamentarians.
Publications
In this publication, the 2023 cohort of the U.S.-German Forum Future Agriculture presents their policy recommendations on climate and agriculture for the national level and for transatlantic cooperation.
The 2023 cohort of the Laboratories of Democracy Initiative, comprising 16 German and U.S. state legislators, has developed recommendations and action points for addressing structural changes and revitalization of post-industrial areas.
Townhall Dispatch: A Social Future? Inequality and Cities in the Transatlantic Context
The second edition of our Townhall Dispatch on the future of cities in the transatlantic context with a focus on social inequality is now available online.
