AICGS’ New Transatlantic Exchange Program: Giving Voice to Diversity
AICGS is pleased to announce the continuation of its German-American youth exchange program on the theme “Immigration, Integration, and a New Transatlantic Generation,” which was inaugurated in 2015. For 2016/17, AICGS is recruiting twenty young leaders from academia, media, business, politics, and society with little or no experience with transatlantic relations for seminars and site visits in Washington and Berlin. This program is generously funded by the Transatlantik-Programm der Bundesrepublik Deutschland aus Mitteln des European Recovery Program (ERP) des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi) (Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany with Funds through the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry for Economics and Energy (BMWI)).
This innovative program will establish new connections between communities that have grown principally from an immigration background, and address common challenges of immigration and integration, such as discrimination, employment, political and societal leadership, education, and international engagement. Project participants will include a core group of young leaders for engagement in intensive discussions, and a broader community of experts and advocates for interaction focused on issues of immigration, integration, and cross-cultural understanding.
Program
AICGS has two primary objectives for the program: (1) to deepen public understanding of the issues and concerns of the largest populations in Germany and the United States that have an immigration background; and (2) to build and sustain a network of young leaders committed to transatlantic relations.
Activities comprise a seminar and site visits in both cities over the course of 4-5 days. Participants at the seminar will engage in small groups and interact with leading experts from umbrella organizations dealing with immigration and integration, government, research institutions, and political foundations. Participants will also have the opportunity to visit other institutions, including cultural/historical sites, offices of elected representatives, and non-profit associations that focus on issues of the underrepresented.
Selected participants are required to take part in both sets of events. The first takes place in Washington, DC from October 16-21, 2016 and the second in Berlin from May 7-12, 2017. Travel, accommodation, and most meals will be provided for the participants by AICGS.
Application
Selection is based on a competitive application process. Up to a maximum of ten applicants from the US and ten from Germany (ages 20-30 only) will be invited to participate in the program.
Individuals’ qualifications and willingness to engage in all aspects of the program will be the primary criteria for evaluation by AICGS staff. The participants should ideally have little to no experience with transatlantic relations. AICGS in particular encourages applications from the two largest populations that have an immigration background in the United States and Germany: young Hispanic-Americans, and young Germans with roots in Turkey. Candidates need not themselves be immigrants.
Applications are due by May 15, 2016. Prospective participants must provide the following application materials: • a one-page cover letter detailing the applicant’s interest in the program • a current CV • two letters of recommendation (professional or academic)
Fluency in English is mandatory. Please send application materials and/or questions about the program to Ms. Susanne Dieper, Director of Administration and Grants Management at sdieper@aicgs.org.
About AICGS
AICGS is a Washington-based, independent, non-profit public policy organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University that works in Germany and the United States to address current and emerging policy challenges in the German-American and transatlantic relationships, and Germany’s role in global affairs.
