This past week I was so incredibly busy with the 54th Atlantic Treaty Association Conference held in Berlin. I was representing the U.S. delegation for the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association (YATA), with about 20 other fellow young American peers. It was an amazing conference, and I had a great time!
The event lasted 5 days, kicking off with cocktail and meet-and-greet type event on Saturday night. I had never met anyone from the U.S. delegation before the conference - only through email and blog exchange - so it was fun finding other Americans at the event that I had been in contact with. Everyone was dressed up (I was able to wear my dress that I had packed for such an occasion!) and it was a classy event. A lady sung to a 4 piece jazz band in the background while the young delegates from NATO countries and NATO's partner countries mingled. We all parted ways rather early for a Berlin night to get some rest before the next few intensely jam-packed days of the conference.
Sunday, November 9th, was an extremely important day in German history. It was the day of broken glass in 1938 when the Nazis backlashed on the Jewish community and also the same day that the wall came down in Berlin in 1989. I went to the local church near my apartment on Sunday morning, and they had a special service remebering the tragedies that befell the Jewish community under the Nazis. The service was extremely moving, and I never had experienced the power of emotions still felt by Germans remembering the horror of the Nazi regime. The little church called each Jewish member of the small area that I am living in that had been taken to concentration camps during World War II in one part of the service. It was a powerful morning.
Then later in the afternoon I headed toward Mitte to the conference event. We heard speakers, research presentations, and the general outline for the next few days. We also toured an art exhibition at the end of the night by Afgahn women titled "Make Art, Not War." One of the artists was there to talk about the project and the danger for the women of undertaking such an endeavor, and then the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Germany spoke. It was a another good day, with the opportunity to meet even more people. I finished up my night sipping coffee at St. Oberholtz on my laptop enjoying free wireless and Skype!
Monday was the big day. We had events all morning with the YATA and a really delicious lunch. Then everyone was excited for the afternoon session. Chancellorin Angela Merkel was going to give a speeach at Hotel Adlon to the conference attendees. So it was a small, private affair, and I was soo excited to hear the Chancellor of Germany speak!!! I went almost an hour early to the speech, so that I could find a good place to sit. Along the way I stopped at Starbucks and had a Gingerbread latte (I know, such an American thing to do, but it was my first time going to Starbucks in Berlin - and I was with only Americans walking over to the speech!) and then was greeted by the hotel staff as I entered. I waited patiently in line, and I received a translator headset after presenting my passport and finally a nod of 'ok' as my name was checked off a guest list. My newly aquired Fulbright friend from Duke and I made our way inside and somehow found amazing seats up front in the middle. Most of the other younger delegates were seated in the balcony, but I was not going to protest having such a fantastic view from the front. The room was filled with TV cameras, military uniforms, and small talk. But the room quieted as a military band played a short fanfare to greet Chacellorin Merkel. I was literally on the edge of my seat, trying to crane my neck toward the door, but no one entered. The band was premature in their annocement of the Chancellorin. About temn minutes later, the band started up again, and this time it was the grand entrance for real. Chancellorin Merkel entered, a vision in pink in her business suit, and took her seat up front. After a short introduction, the speech began. Chancellorin Merkel gave an address on the future of NATO - and I listend to the speech half in German and then half translated throught the headset. There are so many things in German that I have not picked up on yet - a subtle use of a different word or expressions make it hard to follow the exact meaning of the speech. But I think I followed pretty well!
Here is a video of the speech (it is in German of course : )
Chancellor Merkel's speech was followed by an address from the NATO Secretary General Scheffer. And then a reception in the Hotel. I met several individuals in the reception, including Ambassador Robert Hunter, and was able to explore a little bit of the grand hotel that overlooks the Brandenburg Gate.
Here is the website that illustrates the grandeur of the Hotel (in English this time)!
A private night tour of the Reichstag government building was organized for those interested, and I went along to take in the sites of Berlin at night from atop the huge glass dome. The night was actually clear (sans the nortmal fog and light rain) and Berlin was absolutely breath-taking. I am really falling in love with this city!!
The long day ended with an informal gathering of YATA delegates at a restaurant to hang out. It was nice to talk to people outside of the formal conference setting, and I met a lot more people from all over Europe - and a lot of young Europeans doing research on Energy Security! So maybe some more conference invitations and collaboration will come out of the networking from the week.
Tuesday morning came early, with another full day of events. More speeches and panels were inorder, complete with visits to both the French and Ukrainian Embassies in Berlin. And the YATA U.S. delegates were able to speak with someone from the U.S. Embassy on the lunch break. The day finished with a reception and dinner at the German Ministry of Defense. I met a man from Bonn who told me that the best conference of the Atlantic Treaty Association was in 1986! So that should tell you the wide array of age differences in the weekend. It was fun to meet young people and also important foreign policy figures int he transatlantic relationship that have since retired.
Wednesday was the final day of the conference. And it was a bit more low key, wrapping up the last few days. I had lunch with the U.S. delegation, and we then toured a German think tank. In the middle of the chat at the think tank, we were invited to tape some comments for a short video that would be featured on their website! We each paired up and had a mini discussion on different topics while being filmed. Following edits, the video should be posted! I will post a link up when it's available.
To sum up the NATO conference, it was so much fun and an incredible opportunity to meet so many key foreign policy leaders in the transatlantic community. Energy security emerged to be a major theme of the week, and I was glad to take part in the different events around Berlin! And it was really fun to make a video at the conclusion of the event. So maybe I will be a think tank moviestar! : )
Lots of love to everyone back home!
The event lasted 5 days, kicking off with cocktail and meet-and-greet type event on Saturday night. I had never met anyone from the U.S. delegation before the conference - only through email and blog exchange - so it was fun finding other Americans at the event that I had been in contact with. Everyone was dressed up (I was able to wear my dress that I had packed for such an occasion!) and it was a classy event. A lady sung to a 4 piece jazz band in the background while the young delegates from NATO countries and NATO's partner countries mingled. We all parted ways rather early for a Berlin night to get some rest before the next few intensely jam-packed days of the conference.
Sunday, November 9th, was an extremely important day in German history. It was the day of broken glass in 1938 when the Nazis backlashed on the Jewish community and also the same day that the wall came down in Berlin in 1989. I went to the local church near my apartment on Sunday morning, and they had a special service remebering the tragedies that befell the Jewish community under the Nazis. The service was extremely moving, and I never had experienced the power of emotions still felt by Germans remembering the horror of the Nazi regime. The little church called each Jewish member of the small area that I am living in that had been taken to concentration camps during World War II in one part of the service. It was a powerful morning.
Then later in the afternoon I headed toward Mitte to the conference event. We heard speakers, research presentations, and the general outline for the next few days. We also toured an art exhibition at the end of the night by Afgahn women titled "Make Art, Not War." One of the artists was there to talk about the project and the danger for the women of undertaking such an endeavor, and then the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Germany spoke. It was a another good day, with the opportunity to meet even more people. I finished up my night sipping coffee at St. Oberholtz on my laptop enjoying free wireless and Skype!
Monday was the big day. We had events all morning with the YATA and a really delicious lunch. Then everyone was excited for the afternoon session. Chancellorin Angela Merkel was going to give a speeach at Hotel Adlon to the conference attendees. So it was a small, private affair, and I was soo excited to hear the Chancellor of Germany speak!!! I went almost an hour early to the speech, so that I could find a good place to sit. Along the way I stopped at Starbucks and had a Gingerbread latte (I know, such an American thing to do, but it was my first time going to Starbucks in Berlin - and I was with only Americans walking over to the speech!) and then was greeted by the hotel staff as I entered. I waited patiently in line, and I received a translator headset after presenting my passport and finally a nod of 'ok' as my name was checked off a guest list. My newly aquired Fulbright friend from Duke and I made our way inside and somehow found amazing seats up front in the middle. Most of the other younger delegates were seated in the balcony, but I was not going to protest having such a fantastic view from the front. The room was filled with TV cameras, military uniforms, and small talk. But the room quieted as a military band played a short fanfare to greet Chacellorin Merkel. I was literally on the edge of my seat, trying to crane my neck toward the door, but no one entered. The band was premature in their annocement of the Chancellorin. About temn minutes later, the band started up again, and this time it was the grand entrance for real. Chancellorin Merkel entered, a vision in pink in her business suit, and took her seat up front. After a short introduction, the speech began. Chancellorin Merkel gave an address on the future of NATO - and I listend to the speech half in German and then half translated throught the headset. There are so many things in German that I have not picked up on yet - a subtle use of a different word or expressions make it hard to follow the exact meaning of the speech. But I think I followed pretty well!
Here is a video of the speech (it is in German of course : )
Chancellor Merkel's speech was followed by an address from the NATO Secretary General Scheffer. And then a reception in the Hotel. I met several individuals in the reception, including Ambassador Robert Hunter, and was able to explore a little bit of the grand hotel that overlooks the Brandenburg Gate.
Here is the website that illustrates the grandeur of the Hotel (in English this time)!
A private night tour of the Reichstag government building was organized for those interested, and I went along to take in the sites of Berlin at night from atop the huge glass dome. The night was actually clear (sans the nortmal fog and light rain) and Berlin was absolutely breath-taking. I am really falling in love with this city!!
The long day ended with an informal gathering of YATA delegates at a restaurant to hang out. It was nice to talk to people outside of the formal conference setting, and I met a lot more people from all over Europe - and a lot of young Europeans doing research on Energy Security! So maybe some more conference invitations and collaboration will come out of the networking from the week.
Tuesday morning came early, with another full day of events. More speeches and panels were inorder, complete with visits to both the French and Ukrainian Embassies in Berlin. And the YATA U.S. delegates were able to speak with someone from the U.S. Embassy on the lunch break. The day finished with a reception and dinner at the German Ministry of Defense. I met a man from Bonn who told me that the best conference of the Atlantic Treaty Association was in 1986! So that should tell you the wide array of age differences in the weekend. It was fun to meet young people and also important foreign policy figures int he transatlantic relationship that have since retired.
Wednesday was the final day of the conference. And it was a bit more low key, wrapping up the last few days. I had lunch with the U.S. delegation, and we then toured a German think tank. In the middle of the chat at the think tank, we were invited to tape some comments for a short video that would be featured on their website! We each paired up and had a mini discussion on different topics while being filmed. Following edits, the video should be posted! I will post a link up when it's available.
To sum up the NATO conference, it was so much fun and an incredible opportunity to meet so many key foreign policy leaders in the transatlantic community. Energy security emerged to be a major theme of the week, and I was glad to take part in the different events around Berlin! And it was really fun to make a video at the conclusion of the event. So maybe I will be a think tank moviestar! : )
Lots of love to everyone back home!
The U.S. Delegation at the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association Conference looking classy on the final day - well, part of the delegation! Left to Right: Ellen, David, John, Brooke, me, and Boyan.
The German flag lit up at night from on top of the Reichstag.
So professional with my yellow jacket business suit look (wearing my GT pin! : ) At the Reichstag for a private tour and to see the view of the city from on top of the dome at night. The Parliament chamber is pictured behind me!
With Allison, fellow Fulbrighter from Duke, after the speech from Chancellorin Merkel!!! Posing nicely with the German and NATO flag around the conference poster.
Yes. I did hear Chancellorin Merkel speak!! And it was so exciting!!!!! She was a vision in pink. I loved it in a foreign policy International Affairs nerd way. It was an incredible experience and opportunity that I will remember for years to come!!!
