NATO Young Leaders Working Group on the Trans-Atlantic Bond

 The deadline for applications has passed. Thank you for your interest.

Overview
Heads of state and government from all 28 NATO nations will convene at the 2014 NATO Summit in Wales this September to reaffirm the importance of the Trans-Atlantic bond and build a strong foundation for its future. To help Alliance leaders accomplish this task, NATO has commissioned a working group of emerging leaders from member countries to provide concrete ideas and proposals that support a renewed Trans-Atlantic bond and has asked the Atlantic Council to facilitate this process. The Council will select a representative group of fifteen exceptional emerging leaders to participate in the working group. The group will convene in person at the Atlantic Council’s Toward a Europe Whole and Free conference in Washington, DC on April 29-30, 2014 to begin drafting a report with concrete proposals and present these recommendations in Brussels in early June. Members are also tentatively scheduled to attend the 2014 Young Atlanticist Summit on the sidelines of the official NATO Summit in Wales in early September to represent the next generation of Alliance leaders, pending confirmation of the event.

Full program background on this initiative is available here (PDF)

Application Information
The Atlantic Council is seeking exceptional emerging leaders, aged 25-35, from NATO member countries to participate in this unique international, nonpartisan initiative. Members will have an opportunity to shape the discussions at and in the run-up to the 2014 NATO Summit and build a lasting community of peers committed to supporting a strong Trans-Atlantic bond for the twenty-first century. Applicants may include elected officials, business leaders, journalists, legislative staff, military personnel and veterans, community leaders, policy experts, government officials, and other professionals working in a field of relevance to the Trans-Atlantic bond whose leadership experience, professional expertise, and direct role in influencing policy and public opinion position them to contribute substantively to the working group and provide innovative recommendations.

Applicant Requirements

  • Between 25 and 35 years of age
  • NATO country citizenship
  • Current or past experience relating to: security or defense policy; democratic transitions; international law; international energy policy; international business; journalism; electoral politics; humanitarian issues; or any other fields of relevance to the Trans-Atlantic partnership. 
  • Working knowledge of English
  • A willingness to engage in regular online activity over an extended period and ability to attend and fully participate in the working group’s in-person events
  • An interest in long-term engagement with peers on issues pertaining to Trans-Atlantic relations

 
Please note: Potential candidates should only apply if they will be able to travel to and participate fully in the events mentioned above in 2014 (the April 29-May 1 conference in DC, early June conference in Brussels, and tentatively planned Young Atlanticist Summit which is scheduled for the week of September 5 in Wales).

NATO Security & Defense