The Diplomacy Center Foundation and the United States Diplomacy Center (USDC)* hosted a panel discussion of US-German relations and a celebration of the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on October 25, 2018. The event was attended by 150 guests including Her Excellency Emily Haber, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the US, among other dignitaries, donors, constituents, corporate representatives, Foundation board directors, Department of State employees, and local college students.

The panel discussion focused on the importance of US-German relations and included Ambassador Emily Haber; Julie Fisher, deputy assistant secretary of state for Western Europe and the European Union; the Honorable Robert M. Kimmitt, former US ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany; and Dr. Steven E. Sokol, president of the American Council on Germany.

Prior to the panel discussion, the audience was greeted initially in German by the Honorable T. Ulrich Brechbuhl, counselor of the Department of State. His remarks were followed by Honorable William C. Harrop, chair of the Diplomacy Center Foundation Board of Directors. USDC Director Mary Kane served delivered brief remarks on the museum project for the public sector.

The panel discussion took place as part of the Wunderbar Together “Celebration of American German Relations.” The “Celebration of American German Relations” is part of the Deutschlandjahr USA 2018/2019 – Year of German-American Friendship. This initiative is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, implemented by the Goethe-Institut, and supported by The Federation of German Industries (BDI).

*On November 5, 2019, the United States Diplomacy Center formally changed its name to the National Museum of American Diplomacy.