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The Marshall Forum on Transatlantic Affairs is the premiere annual event for leadership-development-initiatives alumni of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, most notably the Marshall Memorial Fellowship and Manfred Wörner Seminar programs. The conference has a tradition of showcasing new regions of the United States and Europe while gathering distinguished American and European leaders from business, politics, civil society, and media. The conference serves as an opportunity for participants to remain engaged in the transatlantic dialogue, to interact with global policy experts, and to network with other emerging leaders.
Marshall Forum – Dallas
By all accounts, this year’s Marshall Forum on Transatlantic Affairs in Dallas, Texas was a huge success! Revolving around a timely theme, “The New Economy: A New Reality,” this year’s Forum focused in on not what our failings as a transatlantic community were in the past, but where the opportunities lay today, and what the prospects are for tomorrow.
Participants this year enjoyed a networking reception Thursday evening with guests Craig Kennedy, President of the German Marshall Fund and Angela Hunt, Member of the City Council of Dallas. Fellows reconnected with old friends and engaged with counterparts from all over the US and Europe. Friday morning kicked off with welcome remarks by Paul Stafford, President of the Dallas Bar Association and Attorney & Counselor with Carter Stafford Arnett Hamada Mockler, PLLC, and enjoyed a sobering discussion on the state of the transatlantic economy by Mark Wynne, Senior Economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Ft-Worth. A morning of engaging panels was followed by an afternoon of breakout sessions all over the Dallas Arts District where participants toured historic sites and areas of cultural and economic growth.
Neil Sumilas, Managing Director of the German Marshall Fund opened Saturday morning with a discussion on GMFs activities during the 40th anniversary of the organization and what lay ahead. A morning of inclusive panel discussions was capped by a fascinating conversational lunch with former Ambassador Robert Jordan on the social and economic impact of Saudi Arabia on the transatlantic relationship. Participants then departed for various sites around the Dallas- Ft. Worth metro area including Dallas Cowboys Stadium, the historic stockyards of Ft. Worth and much more!
This year’s final agenda can be viewed HERE
By the Numbers
This year’s Marshall Forum not only included 110 registered participants with additional attendance by local World Affairs Council Members, Dallas Council on Foreign Relations, the Dallas Bar Association and other local institutions, but also boasted 18 generous MMFs on the Texas Host Committee and over 10 external sponsors. Participants in Dallas this year enjoyed: 5 keynote discussions, including Allison Cerra of Alcatel Lucent and former Ambassador Robert Jordan; access to 8 in depth panel discussions including conversations on innovation, energy, defense policy, and social media; and an unprecedented 10 breakout sessions across Dallas from museum and stadium tours to historic sites and areas of economic revitalization.
Location
The 2012 US Marshall Forum was held in Dallas, Texas. Rated an Alpha World City by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group, Dallas seemed an anomaly compared with much of the US during the 2008 recession. The city currently ranks 6th globally for cities with the most billionaires. Often referred to as “Where the East Ends,” Dallas has forged its own identity to become a regional magnet for business and culture alike.
Check out some of the social media content from the Dallas 2012 Marshall Forum!
Past Forums
Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina September 2010
Copenhagen, Denmark October 2008
Los Angeles, California September 2008
