NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Craig Kennedy, who, as president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, has extensive knowledge about issues surrounding the strained U.S.-European relations over possible war with Iraq, will speak March 10 at Vanderbilt University. Kennedy’s talk, titled “Are Europeans from Venus and Americans from Mars? Reflections on the Trans-Atlantic Crisis,” is scheduled at 4:10 p.m. in Wilson Hall, Room 126.
Kennedy has served since 1995 in the top leadership role at the German Marshall Fund, which strives to promote cooperation and the exchange of ideas between America and Europe in the spirit of the postwar Marshall Plan. Kennedy works closely with government and private officials on both sides of the Atlantic, as the fund provides a variety of grants to promote the study of international and domestic politics. In addition, the German Marshall Fund manages a number of fellowship programs designed to engage and educate new and established leaders in U.S.-European relations.
“Kennedy’s position as president of the German Marshall Fund affords him a unique access to decision makers and opinion leaders on both sides of the Atlantic,” said Thomas Schwartz, associate professor of history at Vanderbilt. “For this reason, he will elaborate on whether this current crisis is a sign of deep underlying tensions and gaps between the United States and Europe, or something that might be reconciled relatively quickly after the Iraq issue is decided.”
The German Marshall Fund, which has considerable influence in both the policymaking and scholarly communities, partners with other foundations and government groups to develop and implement projects related to its mission. A gift from Germany in 1972 created the $225 million public charity as a permanent memorial to Marshall Plan aid.
The Marshall Plan, also known as the European Recovery Program, was an unprecedented assistance program for the reconstruction and recovery of 16 European nations after World War II. It was named for Secretary of State and former Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall, who proposed the plan in 1947.
Kennedy’s lecture and a reception immediately following his talk are free and open to the public. The lecture is sponsored by Vanderbilt University, its Office of the Provost, and the Eric M. Warburg Nashville Chapter of the American Council on Germany.
Editor’s note: Craig Kennedy will be available for media interviews during his visit to Vanderbilt. Journalists wanting to talk with Kennedy should contact Ann Marie Deer Owens at (615) 343-3208.