AICGS is pleased to announce its inaugural German-American youth exchange program on the theme “Immigration, Integration, and a New Transatlantic Generation.” 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 growing principally from an immigration background and address common challenges of integration such as unemployment, political and societal leadership, and international engagement. Project participants will include a core group of young leaders for intensive discussions and also interaction with the broader community of experts and advocates 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 with an immigration background; (2) and to build and sustain a network of young leaders committed to transatlantic relations.

Activities comprise a conference and site visits in both cities. Participants at the conference will engage in small groups and interact with leading experts from minority umbrella organizations, 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.

Participants are required to take part in both seminars. The first takes place in Washington, DC from October 11-15, 2015 and the second in Berlin from May 1-4, 2016. 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 U.S. and ten from Germany (age 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 in the United States and Germany with an immigration background: young Hispanic-Americans and Germans with roots in Turkey. Candidates need not themselves be immigrants in order to possess an immigration background.

Applications are due by April 15, 2015. Prospective participants must provide a one-page cover letter detailing the applicant’s interest in the program, a current CV, and two letters of recommendation (professional or academic). Fluency in English is mandatory. Please send application materials and/or questions about the program to the following email: 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.

For more information: http://www.aicgs.org/employment/aicgs-new-transatlantic-exchange-program-for-young-minorities-giving-voice-to-future-leaders/