Newsletter

March 2007

For the French-American Foundation - France, 2007 promises to be a very exciting year. After a 28% increase in income and a 33% increase in new corporate memberships over the previous year for 2006, our ambitious 2007 corporate membership drive is already off to a very impressive start with the addition of several new members and pledges.

Last year, FAF-France attracted an audience of over 2000 persons to its events during 2006. We appear well on our way to breaking that record. Already in January and February, we have had cumulative audiences of over 900 persons at our events during these first two months alone:

• We opened the year with a private dinner in the presence of Norman Ornstein, Resident Scholar of the American Enterprise Institute. Recognized as a leading American political analysts, we were treated to an evening of great insight into the analysis and perspectives of the mid term elections and the 2008 US Presidential campaign.
• We were partners for a cocktail reception for Franco-American business leaders with the American Chamber of Commerce with guest speaker, Brice Hortefeux, Minister of Local Governments
• We presented a panel on "The Democratic Congress and US Policies for Iraq and the Middle East" with Sam Wells, Associate Director of the Woodrow Wilson Center, Alexander Adler, columnist for the Figaro, and Gilles Andréani, adjunct professor at Paris IV at Sciences Po, a member and a partner.
  Download the report on this panel discussion
• U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer presented his new book, Active Liberty, at a luncheon and also discussed "The Globalization of Law" at a breakfast roundtable. We also held a private luncheon for leading figures in judicial circles. All events drew official figures from the French legal establishment, lawyers and business leaders. France-Amériques was our partner for these events. We also arranged for Justice Breyer to visit the students at Sciences Po.
• The Honorable Michael Oxley, former U.S. Congressman and co-author of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, participated in two events on corporate governance for us: a conference at the U.S. Embassy and a major dinner at the Paris Chamber of Commerce in association with the Institut Français des Administrateurs (IFA)
  Download the report in English
  Télécharger la synthèse in français
• Sébastien Fumaroli, presented his new book, "Tempête sous un crâne," moderated by Eric Pape, Newsweek, at a breakfast to a standing room only crowd.

In addition to these very successful events, FAF-France has a number of truly exceptional programs and events on the horizon for the coming months:

• Conference in association with the U.S. Embassy on "Economic and Environmental Interest for Biofuels: Comparison between France and the USA," Randy Schnepf, Economist, Congressional Research service, Bernard Chaud, head of the "Biomass, Biofuel, Bioenergy, Biomaterial" Department, French Ministry of Agriculture - March 12th
• Panel on "Intelligence in France and the U.S.: Seeking a Better Solution for the Fight against Terror" with Charles Cogan, Research Associate au Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs (BCSIA) and the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and an official with the CIA for 35 years ; and Alain Chouet, Former Head of the Security Intelligence Department , DGSE, Specialist - March 26th
• Encounter with Fabian Nuñez, Speaker of the California State Assembly (April - to be announced)
• Conference on « Religion and Society in the U.S. and Europe» with Cindy Skach, Associate Professor of Government, and Affiliated Professor, Harvard Law School; Wade Clark Roof, J.F. Rowny Professor of Religion and Society, Director of Walter H. Capps Center for the Study of Ethics, Religion, and Public Life, Department of Religious Studies, University of California at Santa Barbara (April - to be announced)
• Conference on June 2nd: «Rendez-vous Citoyens du Sénat-Histoire: France / USA, » a major full day in association with the Presidency of the French Senate, l'Histoire, and Le Point, featuring top U.S. & French decision-makers, leaders in industry and distinguished scholars
• FAF-France Gala: "Luxury, Creation, and Design," including a silent and live auction, and featuring keynote speaker, Barry S. Sternlicht, Chairman & CEO, Starwood Capital Group, Founder & Chairman Emeritus, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Chairman of Baccarat on October 18th

We continue to develop our programs for 2007 in the areas of Energy & Environment; Security & Defense, Research, Innovation, and Education, Diversity and Societal Dynamics, Economy & Finance, Presidential Elections; Culture. We have plans to study Venture Philanthropy as a new alternative to giving, and lead a French delegation to the U.S. where this practice is much more advanced. We intend to lead a delegation to California to study its innovative and pioneering approach to combat global warming. In the area of diversity, we will lead a second French delegation for an in depth study of American companies' practices in this domain. Members of the last delegation have already begun to implement certain diversity practices that they discovered during that trip.

In all, we have a very ambitious and exciting program for 2007, which is making an impact and drawing upon the best that both France and the U.S. have to offer. We thank you for your participation and ongoing support, and look forward to seeing you often at upcoming FAF - France events