Sister Cities News

Steuben Conference 2006

Steuben Conference 2006 The 4th Steuben Conference entitled: “USA-Germany: The Future of Transatlantic Relations – International Security Policy after September 11, 2001” and our celebration of the German-American Dialog Center’s sixth anniversary on September 15, 2006 were a complete success. 150 individuals from politics, academics and research and society from Saxony-Anhalt attended.

Dr. Uwe Küster, Chairman of the Dialog Center, and Bernhard Czogalla, Deputy Mayor of the City of Magdeburg delivered welcoming remarks. Guest of honor at the conference was American ambassador William R. Timken, Jr. He recognized the Dialog Center’s work as a contribution to cementing and expanding Saxony-Anhalt’s relations with the United States of America. Karsten D. Voigt, Coordinator of German-American Cooperation, gave the other opening speech. Afterward, he and the other speakers, Prof. Crister Garrett (Professor for American and International Studies at the University of Leipzig) and Prof. Wolfgang Renzsch (Jean Monnet Chair of European Studies at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg) provided for an interesting and lively discussion.

The Dialog Center’s sixth anniversary celebration began with a laudation from our “founding father” retired ambassador John C. Kornblum. Establishing a Dialog Center was his idea. The Dialog Center used the anniversary celebration as an occasion to sincerely thank the departing board members Mrs. Jäger and Mr. Kramer for their work. Our member Ralf Todzi presented a birthday cake. The City Jazz Band supplied good entertainment.

We would like to once again sincerely thank the US Consulate General in Leipzig, Hotel Ratswaage, Kulturszene Mark, Colbitzer Heidebrauerei GmbH, Langnese Eis, Puppentheater Magdeburg, Stendaler Landbäckerei, Schwan’s Food, Stadtsparkasse Magdeburg, the Stöver Frische Team and yaway media for helping organize and generously supporting our anniversary celebration.

You can look at a number of pictures from the Steuben Conference and the anniversary celebration on the website www.magdeburg-nashville.com.

Following up the Steuben Conference, US Consul General Mark D. Scheland, German-American Dialog Center Chairman Dr. Uwe Küster, MdB, Magdeburg’s Mayor Dr. Lutz Trümper and the Steuben-Schurz-Gesellschaft’s Saxony-Anhalt State Chapter Chairman Eberhard Pohl laid a wreath at the Steuben Monument to commemorate the 276th birthday of Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. Thanks go to the Fanfarenorchester Magdeburg e.V. for the musical accompaniment.