Now more than ever, it has become evident that the transatlantic relations must not be taken for granted. Since the new U.S. president has taken office, unpredictability and unsteadiness has been the new policy strategy of the United States. At the same time, the European countries are still in crisis mode and are more concerned about the Brexit, elections in several countries and other issues than focusing on the bigger picture: How can transatlantic relations be revitalized when their very core is at stake? It needs fresh ideas, persistence, and passion for this huge task. The following explanations shall give an overview of some necessary steps in this respect.
We need younger and more diverse supporters of the transatlantic idea
There is a lack of young, fresh, innovative and particularly female voices when debating transatlantic relations. I am certain that there are very many young people who wish to engage in a frank and open debate on transatlantic relations. Our job should be encouraging young and fresh minds to take part in debates, to sit on panels, to contribute to op-eds in order to make their voice heard. On the other hand, we need to engage in a dialogue with organizers and facilitators such as the G7, the World Economic Forum, and others, to open their stage for young, talented people. If we break up the old structures and let young people talk to senior decision-makers on the highest level, I am sure that the public response will be highly positive. Furthermore, by giving young people access to high-level public discussions, naturally younger media will pay more attention to the topics discussed, which will have the effect that a much bigger share of our target group will be confronted with the question of the future transatlantic partnership.
Trump is not the United States
In recent weeks and month, European politicians, journalists, and various experts criticized the U.S. president for his policies. In my view, too many of them create a picture in which the United States as a country are equal to their president or their administration. By focusing too much on the president and his controversial decisions, there is a risk of narrowing the debate of transatlantic relations too much on one character without drawing attention to many pro-transatlantic forces within the U.S. political system and society. A necessary step would, therefore, be encouraging pro-transatlantic senior politicians to raise their voices in the public debate and to make sure that they are heard by the media, expert groups, and the wider public. These U.S. American voices should have both the opportunity and the responsibility to make sure that especially the younger generation does not lose faith in the transatlantic relations and that we prevent wide-spread anti-Americanism. Furthermore, high-level political figures have a better chance to appear in popular media channels and thus a larger audience.
Using the momentum
The election of Donald Trump as president of the United States is undoubtedly a wake-up call for supporters of the Euro-American partnership on both sides of the Atlantic. Hence, we should use the current, unfortunately rather gloomy debate, to show a way forward. A way with new ideas, expressed by young talents and senior experts for a future reanimation. To that end, one should pragmatically use major events where transatlantic relations are being discussed such as the World Economic Forum in January, the Munich Security Conference in February, the G7 summit, NATO summits etc. and organize side events with young, unconventional thinkers who engage in frank discussions with senior officials. These events should also be supported with a social media campaign to ensure a high level of attention in our target group. Via social media or a designated web page, we should also call for comments and opinions.
At the end of this event series, we should draft a catalogue which comprises key aspirations, calls, and assessments. This catalogue should be publicly handed over to political decision-makers such as the German and U.S. American government, the EU Commission, the NATO secretariat etc. to articulate the voice of the younger generation cohesively. The catalogue could also serve as a reference point for journalists and politicians.
Hi Jamel,
Great article and an interesting proposal. I was wondering, what is your reasoning behind targeting the younger demographic for this project? I don’t disagree with you, but my sense is that younger generations are generally already pro-transatlantic and global engagement. In your view, what is the benefit of focusing on the youth, rather than disgruntled and populist older participants?
Hello Angela,
thank you for you comment and indeed, you have a point in arguing that those need to be addressed who tend towards populisms. I tried to focus more on the youth A) due to the extent of this essay and B) (it sounds a bit cliché but) I think when we want to revive trans-atlantic relations addressing the youth in inevitable. I don’t think that our generation is “already pro-transatlantic”. I think we have different groups; some already are pro-transatlantic but there are, on the other hand, many who view a strong partnership with the U.S. with suspicion and mistrust. I think addressing these concerns could be a way forward.
Hi Jamel,
Thanks for your response. I agree with you that the youth are an important target. I think that while they are most likely to support a very connected world, enjoying travel, and being more accustomed to and welcoming of diversity; they are also more likely to take this state of affairs for granted. I think that much of the older generation has a sense of the historical importance of transatlantic ties and the benefits they bring. Though obviously my thinking here is mostly generalizations and just my impression. I think your point that traditionally excluded groups should be included in transatlantic discussions is very important. I wonder how the tone or content might change as a result.
Hi Angela, hi Jamel,
very important topics you both mention here. In my opinion, the “tone” (or the change of it) is very important in reaching and involving new audiences. But could/would the traditional, diplomatic actors a more informal language?
Greetings,
Hendrik
Hi Hendrik,
That’s a very interesting point! I think that traditional stakeholders may be a bit put off by a more informal approach to such discussions. For example, even in participating in this online discussion, I think most of us speak much more formally than we would in a different context. The transatlantic partnership has an aura of greatness and importance (and as a downside, elitism). It would be very hard to speak very frankly and without pomp, especially for those who have invested decades of their career to maintaining it. What do you think?
Hi Jamel! Thanks for your article!
“A necessary step would, therefore, be encouraging pro-transatlantic senior politicians to raise their voices in the public debate and to make sure that they are heard by the media, expert groups, and the wider public.” –> I wonder how a better incentive can be given to senior politicians to make this happen… Do you have particular ideas in mind? Maybe some kind of bottom-up pressure through demonstration, initiatives and other civil society activism? Thank you and best wishes, Felicitas
Hi Felicitas,
thanks for your comment. Very difficult question though – but a very good one. I think you are right that activism is definitely a helpful tool to incentivize frank and passionate discussions. Furthermore, the establishment of new forums where an unconventional exchange of ideas can take place might be helpful.
Hi Jamel,
Thanks for bringing up the lack of young and especially female voices in high-level transatlantic debates. That’s definitely the case in Germany. I also like the point you made about the energizing effect a Trump presidency could have on transatlantic relations. I was wondering though if senior politicians are the best choice when it comes to spreading the message that “Trump is not America”. They should definitely be aware of the effect that their statements can have on public opinion. But in terms of outreach other actors might be more credible and trustworthy. Obviously, NGOs and private sector organizations don’t get the same media attention, but could you also see them or others spreading the word? Best, Carolin
Hi Carolin,
thank you for this contribution. I absolutely agree with you that NGOs and sometimes private sector might be more trustworthy actors when it comes to spreading the message “Trump is not America”. We already witness these developments in some areas, e.g. entrepreneurs in the Silicon Valley distancing themselves from the policies of the Trump administration.
However, I argue that it would be even more helpful to make voices heard from within the political system, additionally to NGOs, civil society and private sector. I think this would send strong signals, particularly to Europe, where people are longing for hopeful signs. A good example would be California’s Governor Brown who openly opposed Trump’s withdraw from the Paris Accord.
Hi Jamel, I couldn’t agree more and I think you also raised an important point by bringing up the governor. We should definitely also consider local and state politicians. Besides the governors it was also mayors in the U.S. who vowed to continue the fight against climate change. I also like your idea of bringing in retired or former politicians though. Their greatest asset is that they know the inside workings of the political system, but can speak more frankly and openly than an active politician can. Best, Carolin
I’d like to piggy-back of Carolin’s comment. You had mentioned that you thought it was particularly important to involve young women. How, specifically, do you plan to tailor a message towards them?
Hi Jamel, thank you for your contribution.
I would like to raise two points:
(1) I like your idea of taking a closer look at senior politicians to identify who of them has a positive approach towards transatlantic relations and then to mobilize them for this purpose. My main question is: How can this be done without them contradicting the statements of their president and threatening their own position?
(2) I agree with you that it is important to bring together young audiences and decision-makers. However, many formats with this goal already exist – In your opinion, how should these be designed differently in order to be more effective?
Dear Jamel, dear Charlotte,
I had precisely two questions I wanted to pose, two questions that coincide with yours, Charlotte 🙂 With regards to the role of senior politicians I agree with Charlotte that not many politicians would put their career on the line and openly contesting their president. In addition to your statement, I wonder if not former politicans, who are no longer in active duty but still have a major impact on the public, would be a better choice here. Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor under Clinton, comes to my mind. He is very active on social media and has his own youtube-channel, where he identifies Trump’s falsifications. Did you have those senior politicians in mind, Jamel?
Hi Christin and Charlotte,
thank you for your comments. Christina, I strongly agree with you. Politicians who are no longer in duty would be an excellent choice since they have often a strong standing in terms of trustworthiness and nonpartisanship.
However, I think that I would be also possible identify active politicians who support openly the transatlantic idea. As mentioned in my comment to Carolin, there are already senior politicians who publicly oppose certain policies of the Trump administration, among them even members of the Republican Party. I think that the political system of the United States, especially the Senate, allows politicians to be relatively autonomous.
@Charlotte concerning your second comment: Yes, some formats already exist, but they are often designed as parallel events. For instance, the youth event takes place several days before the “real” event without any interaction, except of a short communiqué and a group picture. I think that a genuine discussion between youth and politicians/experts is a more fruitful way to strengthen transatlantic relations. Sometimes I even have the feeling some political youth events take place because nowadays there is a need to include them on the agenda. This contradicts the idea of including and considering ideas of the younger generation.
Dear Jamal,
thanks for your great input. I would like to refer to a fresh example how a dialogue process for the younger generation could be created. Alsongside the G20 Summit in Hamburg the F20 Foundations Platform organized a debate agenda for civil society. It’s an alliance of more than 45 foundations and philanthropic organizations from twelve countries that have joined forces in order to further shape the political discourse on future sustainability measures. Before, during and after the G20 Summit in they call for common and transnational action towards a zero carbon economy and a successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The aim is bridging the gap between, politics, the economy and civil society, furthermore, the Foundations Platform objective aims to highlight the strong role civil society is playing in this transformation. On 4th July, a few days before the G20 summit, the Foundations Platform gathered leaders especially young students and professionals from civil society, business, science and politics at an event in Hamburg. The aim was to demonstrate strong support for the global climate agenda as well as to discuss how to leverage the opportunities and benefits arising from transformational processes. The Foundation Platform published the final report. http://www.foundations-20.org/news.html
Greetings Tim