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Beyond Washington
Understanding the U.S. heartland
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The 2024 program dates will be August 11 to August 17, 2024
A Program to the United States for Staffers of German Bundestag Representatives
Cultural Vistas invites staffers of German Bundestag Members (MdBs) to apply to the Beyond Washington program, an eight-day professional exchange that provides participants with a deeper understanding of the U.S. heartland.
The transatlantic relationship is undergoing profound changes. Decades-old norms in foreign policy are being replaced by new approaches to international affairs by both the United States and Germany. In the U.S., these changes in foreign policy positions are rooted in domestic policies and issues that are not always apparent to foreign observers or experts, but that have been shaping the development of U.S. local and national politics for decades. The influence of China on the world political order, Russia’s destabilization of European security, and the upcoming presidential elections in the U.S in November 2024, are all pressing issues in U.S.-German relations that are reforming the nature of the transatlantic alliance.
To provide context and a deeper understanding of the political changes taking place in the U.S., Cultural Vistas offers the Beyond Washington: Understanding the U.S. Heartland program. The program invites staffers who work for MdBs to apply for an eight-day visitor program to the United States. The 2024 program will take place in Madison, Wisconsin and the surrounding area.
The primary goal of the program is to promote a deeper understanding among MdB staffers of U.S. domestic and resultant foreign policies. The program aims to strengthen transatlantic relations by allowing this group of MdB staffers to connect with Americans beyond the political hubs and the capital. Beyond Washington focuses on the following themes:
- Local and State policy and budget priorities
- Economic and social driving forces
- Climate action and social justice
- The importance of public diplomacy and means to foster multi-lateral relations
Cultural Vistas arranges high-level meetings with leaders from government, business, civil society, and other relevant contacts that bring into focus a set of regional challenges that are echoed in other areas of the country.
