75th Marshall Plan Anniversary
On 5 June 1947, the honorable George C. Marshall delivered impactful remarks at Harvard University, detailing the United States’ postwar efforts to rebuild western Europe; leading to what is known today as “The Marshall Plan”.
For this effort, he was awarded theNobel Peace Prize.
To the Speech
The G7-75 Years Marshall Plan Young Transatlantic Leaders Initiative
The address of George Marshall at Harvard University’s commencement ceremony in 1947 laid the foundation that has allowed generations to grow up in peace and prosperity. In recent years, however, we have learned that for the relationship to remain strong, it needs to be tended to across all levels of society.
To deepen this commitment and the mutual exchange, a group of young leaders from Germany, the U.S. and the UK came together to advocate for an anniversary celebration of the Marshall Plan at the side-lines of the G7 summit, taking place at Schloss Elmau near Munich from 26 to 28 June 2022.
This G7 summit and the anniversary in the same month constituted the ideal occasion
to renew the spirit of the Marshall Plan for a strengthened transatlantic partnership, with the power to symbol a new era of transatlantic relations for generations to come.
The Young Transatlantic Leaders Initiative is committed to uphold the transatlantic network of the future and to contribute to a further exchange of thoughts between students and young professionals across Germany, the U.S. and the UK in honor of George C. Marshall’s initiative.
About the Marshall Plan
George C. Marshall
Marshall's life was dedicated to public service; first as soldier, later as statesman who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.
Milestones
A historic timeline compiled by the German Marshall Fund summarizes the important milestones of the European Recovery Program.
Legacy
Most of Marshall's own historic documents of the post-war era are nowadays curated by the George C. Marshall Foundation.
I see the significance of the Marshall Plan in the fact that probably for the first time in history a victorious country held out its hand so that the vanquished might rise again.
Konrad Adenauer
10th June 1964
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower is welcomed by German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer in Bonn
History of the Initiative
The new young transatlantic leaders network was established in spring 2022 to contribute to the transatlantic exchange of ideas between the U.S., UK, and Europe. On the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the Marshall Plan, which coincided with the G7 summit near Munich in June 2022, the initiative began advocating at the highest levels of the U.S. State Department and White House for a public anniversary celebration.
Supported by a broad and diverse group of young student and professional leaders brought together by the Marshall Plan anniversary, the initiative provides common ground for further collaboration between the next generation of American, British, and German leaders.
The initiative’s concept to commemorate the anniversary on a larger scale was kicked-off at the side-lines of the 2022 Munich Security Conference, received several significant political endorsements, and was supported by prestigious think tanks and organisations: such as the American Council on Germany, Aspen Institute Germany, AICGS of Johns Hopkins University, Alfred-Herrhausen-Gesellschaft of Deutsche Bank, the German-American Conference at Harvard, and the Technical University of Munich.
Since then, the initiative has begun to expand its efforts to promote transatlantic ties, for example when organising the visit of a master’s course of the University of Cambridge to the German Chancellery and Bundestag, or during informal Oktoberfest Meet-Ups. The organization seeks to connect the next generation of transatlantic leaders and to educate the public on the values that form the basis of German-British-American friendship.
Following the G7 summit, the initiative broadened the scope of its educational activities and has now expanded into publishing. The publishing arm of the initiative engages on think tank activities, contributes to academic knowledge on geopolitics, and aims to make the stories and lessons from the lives of transatlantic leaders accessible to the general public.
“The address of George Marshall at Harvard University’s commencement ceremony in 1947 lay the foundation that has allowed generations to grow up in peace and prosperity. In recent years, however, we have learned that for the relationship to remain strong, it needs to be tended to, across all levels of society.”
Constantin Weiss
Chair, Council of the German American Conference at HARVARD e.V.
“Since its founding, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft has been working to promote a free and open society and its cohesion. Our work is based on the values that Herrhausen pursued in his life and work: freedom and responsibility, competition and compassion. Having lived and worked for some time in the US, and later being responsible for the US business of Deutsche Bank, Herrhausen was a strong transatlanticist who continuously sought to deepen mutual understanding and friendship between Germans and Americans.”
Dr Anna Herrhausen
Executive Director, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft
“Life is not about those you spend the most time with, but it is about those who impact you most, and impact is not time dependent. This is empowering, as we can act and make a difference, even in the smallest ways, reminding me of Robert Kennedy’s famous, quote about the story of generations.”
Joseph R. Wilson III
Schwarzman Scholar, Astronaut Scholar
In Memoriam George C. Marshall
An admirable statesman.
Meet the Co-Founders
Simon Dietlmeier
Simon is a PhD Candidate at the University of Cambridge, and a member of Konrad Adenauer Foundation’s Doctoral College “Social Market Economy”. He received multiple scholarships and awards. Simon has experience in industry with Siemens, Airbus and BMW; as well as in policy with the Munich Security Conference (MSC), the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry of Finance, and the Bavarian Parliament. He relaunched and scaled-up the TUM Speakers Series as Chairman and established the Advisory Board as its Co-Chair. A Global Shaper of the WEF’s community and selected in DLD Media’s “50 for Future” class of 2020, his work was shortlisted for The Charlemagne Prize Fellowship 2022.
Benjamin Fogel
Benjamin Fogel is a senior consultant with the Logistics Management Institute, where he advises the U.S. Department of Defense on security cooperation. He has experience at the United Nations, the European Parliament, the U.S Department of Justice, and NATO Allied Air Command at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. Named a GLOBSEC Young Leader for the 2022 Bratislava Forum, Benjamin was also a Junior Ambassador to the 2020 Munich Security Conference (MSC), and a Fellow at Penn's Program for Democracy, Citizenship, and Constitutionalism. Benjamin is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University SAIS. In 2023, he has been named a U.S. Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Finalist.
Voices about the Initiative
“A group of outstanding young German and U.S. student leaders from diverse and influential universities in Germany, Europe and the U.S. (…)
I would like to express my endorsement for this exceptional student initiative to celebrate the 75th Marshall Plan anniversary at the side-lines of G7.”
Peter Beyer MdB
former Transatlantic Coordinator
German Federal Government (2018-2022)
“The Marshall Plan has proved a cornerstone of our transatlantic partnership. The success of the Plan in building a common front of democracies committed to our values is not just historical event, but an example of what can be achieved with unity and collaboration.
I endorse you and your colleague’s efforts to raise its profile as part of your young leaders’ initiative.”
Boris Johnson
Prime Minister
United Kingdom
“Coinciding with the 2022 G7 summit, the 75th anniversary of the Marshall Plan is the perfect occasion to celebrate transatlantic friendship.
I am convinced that strengthening the ties among young people on both sides of the Atlantic is of paramount importance. These ties will be the foundation on which the transatlantic partnership will have to stand strong.”
Dr Stormy-Annika Mildner
Executive Director
Aspen Institute Germany
G7 2022 Final Press Conference
“We need a Marshall Plan for Ukraine.”
Olaf Scholz
Federal Chancellor
Germany
Support Across Young Leaders Organizations
