German Marshall Fund
Encyclopedia
The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) is a nonpartisan American public policy and grantmaking institution dedicated to promoting greater cooperation and understanding between North America and Europe.
GMF does this by supporting individuals and institutions working on transatlantic issues, by convening leaders to discuss the most pressing transatlantic themes, and by examining ways in which transatlantic cooperation can address a variety of global policy challenges. In addition, GMF supports a number of initiatives to strengthen democracies.
Founded in 1972 through a gift from Germany on the 25th anniversary of the Marshall Plan
, as a permanent memorial to Marshall Plan assistance, GMF maintains a strong presence on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition to its headquarters in Washington, DC, GMF has eight offices in Europe: Berlin, Warsaw, Bratislava, Paris, Brussels, Belgrade, Ankara, and Bucharest.
The new headquarters of the German Marshall Fund in Washington, DC, were inaugurated by Chancellor Angela Merkel
in January 2006.
In November 2009, GMF helped celebrate the 20th anniversary of the historic fall of the Berlin Wall. GMF President Craig Kennedy was chosen by U.S. President Barack Obama to join a delegation attending the anniversary celebration in Berlin, Germany. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton led the delegation, which also included Philip D. Murphy, U.S. ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany; Lt. Gen. Brent Scowcroft, former national security advisor to President George H.W. Bush; USAF (Ret.), former national security advisor to U.S. Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush; and Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski, former national security advisor to U.S. President Jimmy Carter.
GMF promotes dialogue on important global issues impacting Europe and the United States. This includes convening policymakers and opinion leaders in a variety of forums to discuss and debate transatlantic topics. These events are conducted by both GMF and partner institutions. Some of these events include the Marshall Forum on Transatlantic Affairs, the Congress-Bundestag Forum, the Transatlantic Journalists Forum, the Young Leaders Conference in Tremezzo, and the Stockholm China Forum.
Brussels Forum is one of GMF’s most prominent events where political and business leaders from all over the world gather in Brussels, Belgium, for the annual Brussels Forum to discuss and debate the most pressing political, environmental, and economic issues of the day. Past participants at the Brussels Forum have included World Trade Organization Director General Pascal Lamy, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barros. Video, audio, transcripts, and other highlights are available at www.brusselsforum.org.
Since the 1980s, GMF has worked with the democracy movements of Central and Eastern Europe. GMF remains active and engaged throughout Central Europe, the Balkans, and the Black Sea region through a variety of programs supporting the continued process of democratic consolidation and the integration of the region into Euroatlantic structures. Some of these programs include the Balkan Trust for Democracy, The Bulgaria Fund, and the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation.
GMF policy initiatives bring together people and resources from both sides of the Atlantic to address how the United States and Europe can work together on common interests and shared challenges. They are designed to increase transatlantic cooperation and decrease tension around difficult issues and are carried out by both GMF and partner institutions. Such initiatives include the Climate & Energy Program, the Mediterranean Policy Program, the Economic & Trade Policy Program, the Rise of Asia, the annual survey Transatlantic Trends: Immigration, the annual Transatlantic Forum on Migration and Integration, and the Transatlantic Cities Network.
GMF does this by supporting individuals and institutions working on transatlantic issues, by convening leaders to discuss the most pressing transatlantic themes, and by examining ways in which transatlantic cooperation can address a variety of global policy challenges. In addition, GMF supports a number of initiatives to strengthen democracies.
Founded in 1972 through a gift from Germany on the 25th anniversary of the Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948...
, as a permanent memorial to Marshall Plan assistance, GMF maintains a strong presence on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition to its headquarters in Washington, DC, GMF has eight offices in Europe: Berlin, Warsaw, Bratislava, Paris, Brussels, Belgrade, Ankara, and Bucharest.
The new headquarters of the German Marshall Fund in Washington, DC, were inaugurated by Chancellor Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel
Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
in January 2006.
In November 2009, GMF helped celebrate the 20th anniversary of the historic fall of the Berlin Wall. GMF President Craig Kennedy was chosen by U.S. President Barack Obama to join a delegation attending the anniversary celebration in Berlin, Germany. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton led the delegation, which also included Philip D. Murphy, U.S. ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany; Lt. Gen. Brent Scowcroft, former national security advisor to President George H.W. Bush; USAF (Ret.), former national security advisor to U.S. Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush; and Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski, former national security advisor to U.S. President Jimmy Carter.
GMF promotes dialogue on important global issues impacting Europe and the United States. This includes convening policymakers and opinion leaders in a variety of forums to discuss and debate transatlantic topics. These events are conducted by both GMF and partner institutions. Some of these events include the Marshall Forum on Transatlantic Affairs, the Congress-Bundestag Forum, the Transatlantic Journalists Forum, the Young Leaders Conference in Tremezzo, and the Stockholm China Forum.
Brussels Forum is one of GMF’s most prominent events where political and business leaders from all over the world gather in Brussels, Belgium, for the annual Brussels Forum to discuss and debate the most pressing political, environmental, and economic issues of the day. Past participants at the Brussels Forum have included World Trade Organization Director General Pascal Lamy, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barros. Video, audio, transcripts, and other highlights are available at www.brusselsforum.org.
Since the 1980s, GMF has worked with the democracy movements of Central and Eastern Europe. GMF remains active and engaged throughout Central Europe, the Balkans, and the Black Sea region through a variety of programs supporting the continued process of democratic consolidation and the integration of the region into Euroatlantic structures. Some of these programs include the Balkan Trust for Democracy, The Bulgaria Fund, and the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation.
GMF policy initiatives bring together people and resources from both sides of the Atlantic to address how the United States and Europe can work together on common interests and shared challenges. They are designed to increase transatlantic cooperation and decrease tension around difficult issues and are carried out by both GMF and partner institutions. Such initiatives include the Climate & Energy Program, the Mediterranean Policy Program, the Economic & Trade Policy Program, the Rise of Asia, the annual survey Transatlantic Trends: Immigration, the annual Transatlantic Forum on Migration and Integration, and the Transatlantic Cities Network.
People associated with the German Marshall Fund
- Robert ZoellickRobert ZoellickRobert Bruce Zoellick is the eleventh president of the World Bank, a position he has held since July 1, 2007. He was previously a managing director of Goldman Sachs, United States Deputy Secretary of State and U.S. Trade Representative, from February 7, 2001 until February 22, 2005.President...
, former board member - Stephen SzaboStephen SzaboStephen Szabo is a prominent scholar of German-American and transatlantic relations. He has authored numerous articles and books on the state of transatlantic political and security matters, most notably Parting Ways: The Crisis in German-American Relations about the deterioration of the...
, current head of the Transatlantic Academy (TAA) - Jim KolbeJim KolbeJames Thomas "Jim" Kolbe is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for Arizona's 8th congressional district, serving 11 terms from 1985 to 2007.-Early life:...
, former US Representative from Arizona's 8th Congressional District and current Senior Transatlantic Fellow - Glenn NyeGlenn NyeGlenn Carlyle Nye III is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, former US Representative from Virginia's 2nd Congressional District and former foreign service officer for the State Department