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7-10 December 2025
Washington D.C.
Welcome Day, Sunday, December, 7, 2025
Participants arrive according to itineraries and check-in to their rooms:
Placemakr Dupont Circle
15 Dupont Cir NW, Washington, DC 20036
17:15 Participants gather in the lobby to walk over to welcome reception.
17:30 – 19:00 Welcome Reception
German Marshall Fund
1744 R Street NW, DC 20009
Monday, December 8, 2025
08:30 Participants gather in the lobby to walk over to the venue.
Venue: Room 2.12, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, 1957 E St NW, Washington, DC 20052
09:00 – 9:30 Introduction and Overview
The opening session will welcome participants, provide an opportunity for brief introductions, and outline the goals, structure, and flow of the program. Facilitators will highlight how the three days are designed to build from understanding global trends to applying tools and strategies in practice. The session will also establish a set of simple community agreements to guide how participants engage with one another throughout the program.
• Dr. Erwan Lagadec, Director, Transatlantic Program, PI European Union Jean-Monnet Center of Excellence, Elliott School of International
• Steven Bosacker, Director GMF Cities, GMF
09:30 – 10:45 International City Advocacy: Looking at the Leadership of Mayors on Climate Change
Cities are on the front lines of climate impacts and have been developing their capacity and role in global advocacy on this topic. This session will showcase how cities are using their advocacy tools to shape the international discourse and policy, specifically in their collaboration with global coalitions and networks like C40. Participants will examine advocacy campaigns, cross-border cooperation, and their influence on multilateral processes.
Instructor:
• Kate Johnson, Regional Director, North America, C40
10:45 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 12:30 Cities at the Intersection of Tech, National Security, and Geopolitics
AI and emerging technologies are reshaping global power dynamics. Participants will examine how the accelerating AI race influences geopolitical competition, national security priorities, and global governance – and what this means for cities operating on the front lines of technological adoption. The session will highlight the opportunities and risks for city international engagement, and navigating tech-driven geopolitics. The session will include frameworks to understand tech power and to position cities strategically in an AI-shaped world.
Instructor:
• Karim Farishta, Lecturer, George Washington University
12:30 – 13:30 Catered lunch and move upstairs to Lindner Room or Voesar Conference Room (TBD)
13:30 – 15:00 Strategic Communication
Why does city international engagement matter and how can international affairs offices make that case to elected leaders, the public, other departments, and other cross-sector stakeholders? This session will help participants build compelling, locally grounded narratives around their work. It will explore techniques for communicating complex international issues clearly and persuasively, crafting messages for skeptical or politically diverse audiences, and aligning international efforts with public priorities like jobs, safety, climate, or innovation.
Instructor:
• Dan Morrison, Lecturer in Communications at Johns Hopkins University, and Founding and Managing Partner StoryVenture LLC
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Venue: Guido Goldman Conference Room, GMF
09:00 – 9:30 Warm-Up and Reflections from Day 1
09:30 – 11:00 Navigating City Relations with China
The relationships of European and North American cities with their counterparts in the People’s Republic of China are directly affected by the shifting geopolitical landscape. This session will cover the current state of relations between the United States, Europe, and China, key things to look out for in the coming year, as well as practical and strategic advice on how to engage with counterparts in China.
Instructors:
• Bonnie Glaser, Managing director, GMF Indo-Pacific
• Dr. Mareike Ohlberg, Senior fellow, GMF Indo-Pacific
11:00 – 11:15 Coffee break
11:15 – 12:45 Tariffs, Trade, and Competitiveness
Changes in global trade dynamics are shaping the competitiveness of key industries across the Atlantic. This session will explore recent developments in tariffs, trade policy, and supply chain resilience, highlighting their relevance for the positioning and investments of cities in global economic systems. Participants will gain insights into the transatlantic regulatory environment, the impact of emerging trade agreements, and the role of local governments in global supply chains.
Instructor:
• Penny Naas, Lead, GMF Allied Strategic Competitiveness
12:45 – 14:00 Catered lunch at GMF, followed by walk to GWU.
14:00 – 16:00 Strategic Forecasting and City International Engagement
In an increasingly complex and uncertain international landscape, cities must develop their capacity to anticipate and act strategically. This session will introduce strategic forecasting tools and methods and help participants understand how these can be used for their work.
Instructor:
• Tony Silberfeld, Director, Transatlantic Relations, Bertelsmann Foundation
• Adam Siegel, CEO, Cultivate Labs
• Marshall Reid, Senior Manager, Bertelsmann Foundation
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Venue: Lindner Room, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, 1957 E St NW, Washington, DC 20052
09:00 – 10:30 Risk Assessment and Management in City International Engagement
City international engagement inevitably entails certain risks, especially in an era marked by growing geopolitical tensions, rapid technological innovation, trade disruptions, and widespread information manipulation. International partnerships, projects, and travel can expose city officials and mayors to various risks.
This session will explore how cities can structure their international engagement to remain ambitious while minimizing risk. Specifically, participants will examine practical approaches and tools for integrating risk foresight and management into their everyday work.
Instructor:
• Dr. Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi, Founding Director, City Diplomacy Lab
10:30 – 10:45 Coffee break
10:45 – 12:15 Scenario Exercise: Putting it All Into Practice
This session will put participants in the driver's seat during a simulated international incident designed to test instincts, strategic communications, intergovernmental coordination, and decision-making.
Instructor:
• Dr. Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi, Founding Director, City Diplomacy Lab
12:15 – 13:00 Wrap-up
The closing session will bring together and highlight some of the key insights, tools, and perspectives heard over the course of the masterclass. Participants will reflect on major takeaways from each session, identify practical ways of applying the lessons in their own city contexts, and share brief commitments or priorities for the months ahead.
• Dr. Erwan Lagadec, Director, Transatlantic Program, PI European Union Jean-Monnet Center of Excellence, Elliott School of International
• Steven Bosacker, Director GMF Cities, GMF
