Suche
Mein Konto
Transatlantic friendship: Prime Minister celebrates unity in D.C.
Prime Minister Schweitzer celebrates German Unity Day in Washington, D.C. and strengthens transatlantic relations with the RPTU.
Transatlantic friendship: Prime Minister celebrates unity in D.C.
On October 7, 2025, Prime Minister Alexander Schweitzer visited Washington, D.C. to celebrate German Unity Day and honor the transatlantic relations between Rhineland-Palatinate and the USA. Accompanied by representatives from politics, business and society, the visit was a sign of the close cooperation between the two regions. The role of Rhineland-Palatinate as an important partner for the US armed forces was particularly emphasized.
As part of this delegation trip, which took place from September 27th to October 2nd, numerous actors also took part in a key scientific event at Georgetown University. RPTU President Malte Drescher was invited by Professor Abraham L. Newman, Director of the BMW Center for German and European Studies (CGES). Drescher introduced the RPTU and emphasized important connecting points in the areas of “Common Heritage”, “Collective Security” and “Common Future”.
Science and cultural connections
A key theme of the event was “Common Heritage”. The Thomas Nast Guest Professorship in Landau, which is dedicated to the artist Thomas Nast, was presented. In addition, the proximity to US military bases, such as Ramstein Air Base, and a professorship for US foreign policy in Kaiserslautern were cited as examples of “collective security”. Artificial intelligence has been highlighted as an area of global exchange in science.
The importance of the exchange of young people between the USA and Germany also received great attention. A concrete example of successful partnerships is the cooperation between the RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau and Francis Marion University in South Carolina. As part of the visit, a declaration of friendship was signed between the CGES and the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, which aims to strengthen the Rhineland-Palatinate Transatlantic Ambassador Internship program.
Transatlantic relations and economic cooperation
The Rhineland-Palatinate Transatlantic Ambassador Internship (RP-TAIP) offers young people the opportunity to gain transatlantic experience by getting to know German and US government institutions in Mainz and Kaiserslautern. The program, supported by the Consulate General of the United States in Frankfurt, honors the close relations between Rhineland-Palatinate and the USA and contributes to transatlantic exchange. Nearly 50,000 Americans live in Rhineland-Palatinate, making the region a center of transatlantic relations in Germany.
In addition, economic discussions were on the agenda during the delegation trip, which addressed the complex customs policy between the USA and Germany. Prime Minister Schweitzer and his delegation made it known that the USA is an important trading partner of Rhineland-Palatinate. He also took a look at the challenges facing companies and called for political support from the federal government.
The importance of science and cultural exchange as a bridge-builder for transatlantic cooperation was emphasized by various members of the delegation, including Deputy Prime Minister Katharina Binz and Economics Minister Daniela Schmitt. Schmitt emphasized that the USA is viewed as an important sales market and investment location.
The Day of German Unity was ultimately celebrated through various celebrations, including in Kallstadt, a region for wine and emigrant families. Palatinate Wine Queen Denise Stripf reported on the positive response to Rhineland-Palatinate wines in the USA, further confirmation of the cultural and economic connections that such visits and programs strengthen.