A Recap of the 2023 Washington D.C. Fall Policy Convention
By Lika Gegenava
On November 2 and 3, European Horizons had the joy of hosting its flagship Fall Policy Convention in Washington D.C. Held annually, the Convention serves the purpose of equipping young change-makers with necessary skills to become active citizens with the ability to shape the future of their communities. This year, the Fall Policy Convention also served as the launch event of our new Transatlantic Leaders Fellowship. In the transatlantic spirit, we hosted conventions in both D.C. and London, for fellows on both the North American track and the European track. The fellows represent over 28 nationalities from three continents. Having featured policy workshops, panel discussions and networking opportunities, we are pleased to share a recap of the event for all those who were unable to attend.
Policy Workshops
The main component of the Fall Policy Convention are the three policy workshops that equip the fellows with necessary tools to engage in debate, create effective solutions, and write policy memos. The first workshop of the convention was a crisis simulation, in which the delegates had the opportunity to put themselves in the shoes of policymakers and work together to resolve a democratic crisis. Fellows were introduced to a faux scenario, where a small country in Central Asia experienced an election legitimacy crisis. They were then assigned countries and were instructed to debate and resolve the issue as representatives of their respective countries. Led by the European Horizons Policy Team along with young policy professionals, the crisis simulation encouraged the fellows to engage in meaningful, candid debate and come up with innovative solutions to solve the crisis at hand.
On the second day, fellows participated in the final two workshops designed to introduce them to the fundamentals of writing effective policy memos and implement the knowledge in a simulation of the EU Commission. The workshops focused on the key aspects of analysing a policy issue, such as specificity, measurability, achievability, relevance, time pressures, and audience. The structural facets of effective policy memos were also considered, such as the executive summary, background, problem statement, solutions and recommendations. The fellows were also introduced to the European Union as an institution, including its structure, legislation, enforceability of laws. In the final workshop, fellows were given the criteria the EU Commission uses to evaluate policy and were presented with a scenario to evaluate. By engaging in discussion, we hoped to provide fellows with an experience of policy making and evaluation through which they can gain a deeper understanding of institutional practices in policy formulation.
Guest Speakers
Along with the policy workshops, we were honoured to host leading experts on transatlantic affairs to share their insights with the fellows. This year’s panel discussion focused on “2024: The Year of Groundbreaking Elections for the Transatlantic Community’’, discussing the upcoming year of unprecedented electoral significance for the transatlantic community in which the European Union, United Kingdom, and United States will all hold critical elections. The panel featured Ariel Cohen, Ph.D. (Senior Fellow at Atlantic Council), Fiona Alexander (non-resident Senior Fellow with the Digital Innovation Initiative at the Center for European Policy Analysis), Michelle Egan (Fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations and co-director of the Transatlantic Policy Center at American University), and Javier Sancho Velazquez (Head of Global Affairs and Innovation at the EU Delegation to the United States). Moderated by Jeffrey Anderson (Professor and Director of MAGES at Georgetown University), the panel began with a discussion of the implications of these elections on areas such as European security and defence, climate and environment policies, international trade, and the regulation of emerging technology, before opening up to a Q&A.
The Convention was also honoured to host the Director of European Parliament Liaison Office, Walter Goetz, as the keynote speaker. With extensive experience and expertise in European policymaking, Goetz discussed a range of transatlantic issues from US foreign policy in the context of the Western alliance, 2024 elections and their implications, European security amidst the rising regional and global tensions, and more. The fellows had an opportunity to engage in a Q&A session after the speech as well.
Alumni Panel
The alumni panel offered the fellows a glimpse into the diverse career paths of European Horizons alumni and an opportunity to hear from young professionals in fields ranging the public and private sectors. Moderated by Elizabeth Boesen (manager of the Career Center at Georgetown University), the panel featured Ia Tserodze (Programme Coordinator at the World Bank), Luka Ignac (Program Assistant at the Atlantic Council Europe Center), Joseph Bebel (Head of the Eurasia Monitor at the Jamestown Foundation), and Bianca Herlory (AI Branch Chief at the Joint Staff J6 at the Department of Defense). The discussion focused on the panelists’ experiences both in choosing a career in the field of policy and their journey up to the point in their careers.
Concluding Remarks
We greatly enjoyed hosting the first Fall Policy Convention and meeting the fellows we will be working with for the duration of the year. With their active engagement in all aspects of the Convention, as well as their inquisitive questions that prompted discussion of the key issues faced by the transatlantic community today, the fellows ensured that it was an enriching and informative event. We are also immensely grateful to the speakers, panels, and young professionals who provided the fellows with an opportunity to engage with established experts and young professionals in the field. The first day concluded with a standing reception at the U.S. House of Representatives, where fellows had an opportunity to network with peers and invited experts. There were also informal coffee breaks and icebreakers, along with a Congress tour, held between workshops and panels where fellows had the opportunity to mingle amongst each other and with the European Horizons team. We hope the fellows enjoyed the Convention just as much as we enjoyed getting to know them. With the conclusion of the opening event of the fellowship, we are excited to embark on this year-long journey with such a dynamic and talented group.
Sponsored by European Parliament Liaison Office in Washington D.C. and Center of International Relations (CIR)
Hosted by the U.S. House of Representatives and European Union Delegation in the United States
Lika Gegenava is a junior at Barnard College of Columbia University, studying Political Science and Philosophy. Her research interests include democratization in Eastern Europe, regional and international security and cybersecurity.
