Freedom and Creativity Reign

We arrived in Berlin as a larger group of fellows. In fact, many of us connected in Vienna after our journeys through Eastern Europe. It was great to reconnect with our colleagues, some of whom we had not seen since Brussels. I was still in a warm Montenegro-induced aura. I was pleased with myself that I had a wonderful experience in the former Yugoslavia.

We set out to our hotel in Berlin, and almost immediately I recognized that the Adriatic way of life had been left behind and replaced with something less exotic, but none-the-less charged with creative energy. I had been excited to visit Berlin. Since reunification, so much media attention has focused on Berlin as a global capital of creativity where low rents, new-found freedoms, and dynamic municipal leadership had converged to unleash a new creative economy. The mayor of Berlin has been quoted as saying that "Berlin is poor, but it is sexy." Now born from a modern bohemian movement, Berlin is seen as an underground cultural Mecca- a place where you can find neighborhood theaters, live music clubs, and art studios amidst cafes and bars that sell beer and coffee for two euros. This is almost unheard of in most major European capitals these days. The net result is Berlin is attracting young creative capitalists from all over the world.

Our first day was spent in a short briefing on the German political system, and then free time for dinner to reconnect with our colleagues. Our hotel was located in the Mitte area, or the middle or center of Berlin. This area was part of the former East Berlin, yet the energy and excitement of the area is now both creative and capitalistic. The shops in the area carry cutting-edge design and fashion, many that trend toward street fashion. It seemed that every other store is a cutting-edge sneaker store. It made me think I would have 100 pairs of funky sneakers if I lived in Berlin.

I had an opportunity for an individual appointment with Alexander Koplin who heads the media and creative industries business unit for Berlin Partner- Berlin's most significant public/private partnership focused on economic development. In addition to my discovering that Los Angeles and Berlin are sister cities, I spent time learning how Berlin has invested in building its creative industries- particularly in the areas of fashion, IT, communications, film and television, and music. Berlin Partner has already added 1,000 new creative industry jobs with employers like Pfizer, Universal, MTV Networks, SONY, Newscorp and AEG. They are projecting to add 4,000 more jobs within the next year. When asked about how they have made economic development hip, Koplin joked that it helped that few members of the team were older than their 40s and could be spotted taking in Berlin club life from time to time. He was serious. In fact, it would seem that their breakthrough has been to create a network of traditional and new or creative industry leaders into a cohesive strategy. I sensed that there is a very strong lesson here for Berlin's sister city of Los Angeles. What if L.A. could build this same sort of cohesive strategy to improve upon our natural assets?

As part of the visit, a colleague and I had the opportunity to have dinner with Stephan Eisel, a member of the German Bundestag and the Christian Democrat Party. It was a wonderful opportunity to hear first-hand about the changes in Germany since reunification, as well as the range of social and economic issues that are dominating the political agenda. Our visit included this member-only tour of the Reichstag (pictured above), which is one of the most impressive pieces of architecture I witnessed on the trip. The building has been completely renovated with a design by Sir Norman Foster, which includes a glass dome that opens to the sky and provides visitors with a direct view into the inner workings of German democracy. It is stunning.

While the fall of the Berlin wall has now led to the unleashed creativity and significant public investment in infrastructure and reunification, the East/West history is still poignant in Berlin. We had an opportunity to explore the former East German Ministry for Sate Security (MfS), or Stazi (pictured below), that was a center piece of the East German oppression and brutality. Today, the jail is a symbol perhaps most importantly of the treatment of political prisoners. Although, to me, it also stands out as part of the larger story about the remnants of war and persecution, political ideology gone awry, and the extraordinary amount of time it takes to heal from these man-made afflictions. One cannot look at modern Germany without thinking about the fragility of democracy. It makes us all pause and remember, and perhaps to be prepared to respond should our society ever be shaken to its core. Germany is not the only country, nor will it be the last, to suffer from economic depression, dictatorship, nationalism, and war that dramatically transforms its society. This was a powerful lesson that concluded our fellowship.

We ended our travels together as a group in Berlin. Over three weeks we had become closer than we ever expected. I stayed on a few days in Berlin to explore the city, spending time in both the former East and West sides. Of course, I bought a new pair of sneakers, too.

Wild Beauty, Democracy and Reconciliation

In the days leading up to my travel to Montenegro, I felt bombarded by the "Montenegro: Wild Beauty" ads that played repeatedly on both CNN International and EuroNews. The ads are clearly a major initiative for Montenegro as it moves forward as a new independent state of just two years old, coming out of the turbulent years of civil war through the former Yugoslavia. The ads are stunning, sexy, and perhaps at first glance seemingly too good to be true.

Montenegro thus became a source of a bit of humor and teasing by me, my colleagues, and new friends we met during our travels.

Upon reflection, I realize that I was not really prepared for what might be one of the most powerful travel experiences of my life. In short, "wild beauty" is perhaps the best way to easily describe the small and fascinating country of Montenegro.

Arriving in the capital of Podgorica (formerly known as Titograd), I was challenged by the city's physical appearance: the 1950-60's style of communist concrete block structures. The original city was mostly destroyed during WWII and had since become a victim of egalitarian central planning. I was a bit dismayed, especially after visiting such amazing, and yet traditional, cultural centers on this trip.

On our first night in town, however, a transformation had begun. We were greeted by our city coordinator Daliborka "Dali" Uljarevic, who is the executive director of the Centre for Civic Education. Upon first meeting her, my first impression was of a young, soft spoken, petite NGO professional. I have since come to see her as a powerful and dynamic civic leader in a transforming democracy. Dali was an instrumental student leader in Belgrade during the historic student protests that lead to the end of the Slodoban Milosevic-era in Serbia and Montenegro. Today, she is a respected leader in the civil society arena.

Our first full day in Montenegro was spent in the stunning mountainous region in the north, where our group of six went white water rafting in the Tara River that is also the shared border between Montenegro and Bosnia. The Tara River Canyon (pictured left) is one of the deepest and longest in Europe. Our guides proudly shared that it is second in depth to the Grand Canyon. It was spectacular. The experience was unconventional, exhilarating, and a perfect introduction to the country. It was our first experience in the geographic location of Montenegro which, in addition to Bosnia, also borders Serbia, Kosovo, Croatia, and Albania. Without question, the mere mention of these Balkan countries raises questions about the strife of previous years. This was an issue that was with us constantly and, over the days, our hosts began to offer some powerful insights. It did take some time and trust to develop. To help in this, Dali organized a special dinner with journalists, heads of NGOs, and academics focused on civil society and democracy-building efforts in Montenegro. The evening was wonderful. In addition to sharing mutual interests in building strong community leadership, I deepened my relationships with my MMF colleagues and made several new friends.

We had the unique opportunity to spend two days traveling the country, particularly the coastal region that stretches from Croatia to Albania and provides stunning frontage on the Adriatic. The coastline is striking, where lush mountain ranges steeply slope to meet the sea. Throughout the region, small villages- both ancient and new- are nestled in the hills surrounding the harbors and beaches. At stops along the way in places like Bar (pictured above), Ulcinj, Cetinje, Perast, Kotor, and Budva we met with business and political leaders to talk about the next stages of development of the democracy and the role of business. We stopped to visit many of the unique historical settings that give Montenegro its charm.

As tourism is booming, and all sights are set on the attraction of foreign investment to build the tourism infrastructure, we visited Porto Montenegro in Tivat on the Bay of Kotor (pictured above and right). The slated project is a massive redevelopment of a former Yugoslavian naval base in the deep port bay. The Bay was one of the most stunning areas in our visit. So it came as no surprise the deep and protected Porto Montenegro at Tivat will be developed as a new port for the growing mega yacht industry. Currently, ports are limited in their capacity to dock the massive private yachts that are a growing trend in the industry. A development partnership driven by Canadian billionaire businessman Peter Munk, with the Four Seasons Hotel, is now proceeding with the redevelopment of the 25-acre former base. The project is estimated to provide a net gain of 5,000 new jobs upon completion. The overall economic impact of the project is estimated to be 80 million Euros to Montenegro's annual GDP. The transformation will be monumental. Our group joked about a reunion scheduled to coincide with the grand opening. Some of us were serious!

Our final day in Montenegro provided us with the opportunity to meet the president, Filip Vujanovic (pictured above, center). He was very cordial, a gracious host and after some brief comments he spent nearly an hour taking our questions. I know we surprised him with our newly adopted passion for his country and the range of the issues and geography we covered. We left the meeting with the strong sense that Montenegro's independence in 2006 was a major milestone for the country and the president. Our visit was posted to the president's website on the same day. The remainder of our meetings focused on perspective on the future agenda items for the country including the further development of political opposition parties, education and workforce issues, human rights, and dialogue and reconciliation over the civil war. According to our coordinator Dali, on the issues of the civil war, "these issues must be confronted and not buried. This is the only way to prevent them from happening again," she said. I respected her strength and integrity.

I was touched at how connected I felt at the end of this visit. It was a little emotional and very transformative for me personally. I was sad to leave as I was just getting started. I will have to find a way to return one day.

The Importance of Postponing Judgement

I have recently spent a lot of time talking about how leaders sometimes benefit from postponing judgment about certain situations, strategies and relationships. In Turkey, I found myself in a perfect situation to practice what I have preached.

Without question, I was excited to visit Turkey for the first time. While my itinerary covered both the capital Ankara and the cosmopolitan Istanbul, I was most excited about Istanbul and its sights. This all changed as four intense and invigorating days unfolded.

Landing in Ankara, I was immediately reminded of the dry hilly countryside of California. The weather was also a perfect match. We wasted no time in Ankara, jumping right into the issues of democracy and Islam. Our early meetings helped to frame what would become the cornerstones of our visit. Turkey is in the midst of a great deal of political tension between the secularists and the more conservative and Islamist movement led by the Justice and Development Party (AKP). At first glance, this more pious movement seems to be in large contrast to western ideals, but the subsequent days in Turkey only illuminated how complex the issues are for Westerners to understand. The emerging power base is often likened to Europe's Christan Democrats- except that they are blending Islam with business and free market ideals.

This political power shift is a backdrop to many other layered issues, including E.U. accession, the global strategic position of Turkey for its Western allies- most notably the U.S.- and the issues affecting Turkish minority groups and women.

A highlight of the Ankara experience was a dinner party held in our honor. It was a great opportunity to meet with non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives, government officials, business people and academics. I particularly enjoyed meeting the leaders of the NGO community who share a mutual interest in leadership development and strengthening democracy. I also connected with the leader of the Turkish Film Festival who will be sending us a set of Turkish films released at Cannes this year. The film industry is growing, and both the film industry and the festival are key elements in strengthening Turkey's freedom of expression and creative economy. I also took this opportunity to pitch him my latests idea: The Story of Ataturk. Ataturk is the founding father of the modern Turkish secular state. His story is a source of inspiration to millions of Turks and his image dominates civic life throughout Turkey.

We traveled on to Istanbul (pictured above). Upon our arrival, we had a bit of time to explore the area around our hotel located on the European side of the Bosporus. The views were commanding. In fact that evening, a few of my colleagues and I shared a sensory experience that was uniquely Turkey. On the rooftop bar of our hotel, we saw the Istanbul skyline of glowing Mosques, people having cocktails and socializing, there was a wedding party on one of the rooftops below, and the Turkey/Switzerland Eurocup soccer match was broadcast in the streets on a jumbo screen. The background was filled with a mixture of the sounds of revelry, the call to prayer, clinking of glasses, and acid jazz. It was then we realized we were having a truly Turkish moment.

In Istanbul we looked at the Turkish economy in a meeting with the U.S. Foreign Commercial Officer who briefed us on trade and economic issues. The Turkish economy has been growing between 6 to 8 percent in recent years and may level out at between 4 to 6 percent in the coming year. The growth and development is quite evident between Ankara to Istanbul.

The balance of our time was spent looking at the minority issues in Turkey. We had the opportunity to speak with members of the minority communities, including Armenians and members of the Christian Orthodox church, to get a sense of the challenges they face in secular Turkey that is trending more Islamist. Our visit to the Christian Orthodox included a sighting of His Holiness (pictured above). For the ethnic and religious minorities, the hope for E.U. accession is quite strong and akin to the very concerns held by many Europeans. If and when Turkey is admitted, the country will have the second largest share of E.U. population and thus parliamentary power, making it second to Germany. I felt my experiences in Turkey offered new and deeper insight into the growth of the European Union, the rights of E.U. citizens, and the important strategic implications for a growing E.U.

Our trip to Turkey included top sightseeing opportunities, including the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia (pictured above), the Grand Bazaar, and a boat cruise on the Bosporus. It was lovely. Perhaps after four intensive travel days, a personal transformation, and the sheer power of the historical significance, our dinner that evening turned into an amazing celebration rarely experienced by Westerners. In short, it included a wonderful meal, heartfelt toasts, singing and dancing, and of course the playing of tambourines (pictured below).

Local is the New Global

We arrived in Amsterdam just a few days ago, and I already feel that a very high bar has been set for other cities on my visit. Aside from falling in love with the Netherlands, the experience in the past few days has been powerful and meaningful. Our hosts have been wonderful, and the Dutch we have met have been warm, funny and quite tolerant of our inquisitiveness and American clannishness.

The visit so far has tested many of the fundamentals we learned about the E.U. and its structure. Perhaps even more powerful though are the lessons on globalization and its impact on local communities. Here in Amsterdam, the E.U. is only a piece of the story.

This lovely setting has provided an extraordinary backdrop in which to explore the community impacts of migration, faith and civil society, war and security, food and agriculture security and climate change. These are not solely issues facing the Netherlands, but as I have said several times on this visit, solutions here are likely to be meaningful to the rest of Europe, the U.S., and the world.

Our first full day wasted no time jumping into the issue of immigration and integration of Moroccan and Turkish people into Dutch society. The Dutch face a growing problem of a divided society- one of limited social networks or common economic opportunities combined with a great religious and philosophical divide. Our meeting with Muslim community leaders gave us insight into the issues that separate society, particularly on jobs and employment, principles of faith, and of course language. Through meetings with a Polder Youth Mosque and with Muslim women's support organization Nysa for Nysa (pictured above), we saw an emerging opportunity for the Muslim communities to build new networks to assist each other and help integrate into this Western society. The surprising lack of integration seems to be one of the most pressing issues here. Our Dutch colleagues confirmed this with us at nearly every juncture.

Flowing out of this situation comes the political repercussions of the philosophical difference, particularly in the area of civil society. There has now emerged a conservative trend in politics that is clearly anti-Muslim and anti-immigration. Furthermore, there appears to be growing dissent and tension in communities in the Netherlands that are populated by Muslim fundamentalists. The conflicts are real and sometimes violent. These pockets of dissent are feared as a breeding ground for anti-western sentiment and organizations that pose a possible security threat. Consequently, movements to repress freedom of expression, particularly on religious matters, is a central debate as policymakers weigh the future of a long-standing but rarely enforced blasphemy law. Needless to say, the thought-leaders, artists, filmmakers, and journalists, among others, are worried about diminished freedom of expression- a cornerstone of a civil society.

Our first day ended with an opportunity to look at metropolitan issues within the City of Amsterdam, where we focused on the impacts of legalized prostitution, organized crime, and human trafficking. City officials unveiled a major initiative to regain control of activity in the famous Red Light District (pictured below) that has come to be dominated by organized crime.
















Efforts entail a formal permitting or licensing of sex workers, city acquisition of real estate assets once controlled by organized crime families (including the windows and brothels), and a neighborhood revitalization of the core Red Light District area to include sidewalks, storefronts and signage. A tour of the area included a visit to a city-acquired building, improvements now under way, and a discussion of future development options.

For instance, in some areas, the plan is to convert the 'window areas,' where prostitutes used to stand to solicit customers, into other uses. For the past year, the city has promoted the windows to fashion designers who now display their designs on mannequins. Officials assert their efforts are not to end prostitution, however, the sense in the district is that the times are changing; best evidenced by the runway fashions and the mannequins in the windows (pictured below).















Day two provided another opportunity to delve into more issues of governance as well as the global/local paradox. We ventured out to The Hague, the capital of the Netherlands that is home to institutions like the International Criminal Court (ICC). Our session at the ICC was enlightening. We learned about the Courts' history, member countries, and their scope of work as the legal venue for prosecuting war crimes and crimes against humanity. Cases before the Court are predominantly focused on African civil unrest- including Darfur, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Central African Republic and the Congo. We had the opportunity to sit in on the tribunal and listen to some of the proceedings in the case again Charles Taylor, Liberia's former president/war lord. The tribunal requested to use the ICC as a preferred venue for a fair and safe hearing of the case against Taylor. The experience gave all of us a perspective on the larger security issues in the developing world, as well as insight into the international rule of law.

From the ICC, we moved on to the the Dutch Parliament (pictured above) for briefings on Afghanistan with members of the Dutch Liberal Party. The Dutch have a small force on the ground in Afghanistan. It comes as no surprise that the conversation shifted to issues of migration, particularly the movement of people from south to north, and the larger security issues facing the Netherlands as a result. Perhaps eager to address the issues among the American Fellows, our dialogue moved to the larger issues of religion, ethnicity, race and language in building and strengthening Western society. I believe that many of us appreciated the unique dynamics facing the Dutch, and a eagerness for them to forge solutions. Indeed, their success at integration will have positive ramifications for communities throughout the world.

Our day closed with a trip to the town of Noordwijk where we met with Mayor Harry Groen (who incidentally is appointed by the Queen of the Netherlands). The Mayor briefed us on a major public works effort to reclaim the beachfront on this North Atlantic town that is reminiscent of Cape Cod (pictured right, Mayor Groen second from right). With rising sea levels, the Netherlands uses some extraordinary public works projects to both reclaim land and integrate water resource management. The beachfront property is now protected by a man-made dike with expanded dunes and natural habitat. The project also now serves as a model for other coastal communities concerned about sea water intrusion and massive flooding.

The land reclamation topic continued into our third day with a visit to a farm outside of Amsterdam. The farm is what is known as a polder- land reclaimed when water is pumped out of a lake or wetland. Neatly organized, and well maintained, we had first-hand experience on the current global market concerns for food today, as well as organic production, regulations on pesticides and genetically modified foods, and biodiversity efforts in E.U. member countries.

From a community leadership perspective, I was most intrigued by opportunities for nongovernmental organizations and civic engagement initiatives around some of the most challenging issues we examined. Without question though, the universal lesson in this experience is that today local leaders are increasingly faced with issues that are global in scope. Isolationism is a luxury we can no longer afford. We must develop and accelerate our informational and professional networks well beyond our traditional comfort zones. This will help us to share information and monitor trends from other trusted sources. Through productive dialogue, innovations may well ensue. We can only hope.

We were lucky enough to have a little bit of downtime in Amsterdam. It was our first substantial break from meetings or travel in nearly 10 days. I most enjoyed strolling along the canals (pictured above), enjoying the sunny day, and stopping in to the cafes and bookstores and imagining a day in the life of this amazing city.

We departed early Monday morning for Turkey, where we will start in the capital of Ankara and end in Istanbul. It should provide a great alternate perspective to Belgium and the Netherlands.

The Economy, Sustainability, Security, and Transatlantic Cooperation

We spent the last two days in intensive dialogues with European Union and NATO leadership at the European Parliament (pictured above), addressing a host of issues ranging from security, the expanding membership in the common market and the state of transatlantic relations.

Without question, conversations on this first leg of the journey have been highlighted by both the challenges and opportunities to solving the common global issues facing the United States and European Union countries. Most notable are the larger security issues like terrorism and rogue nations like Iran, the implications of global climate change, and innovations that assist in economic integration on both sides of the Atlantic.

Highlights of these sessions included a roundtable discussion with members of the European Parliament. The European Parliament is the only supernational institution whose members are democratically elected by direct vote. Focusing on European perspectives on security, particularly relations with Iran, the E.U. seems to favor a strategy of dialogue, discussion and negotiation as opposed to military action in Iran. (Group pictured below with host (center), Paulo Casaca, European Parliament, Portugal. Other members of Parliament not pictured included Janusz Onyszkiewicz of the Netherlands and Jonathan Evans of the United Kingdom).

Additionally, E.U. officials clearly communicated their strong commitment to addressing global climate change. In a session with Matthew Baldwin, advisor on Trade, Energy, Development, and Climate Change to E.U. Commission President Manuel Barroso, the Fellows heard first-hand about the E.U.'s "20-20-20 by 2020" plan. The E.U.'s goals by the year 2020 are to reduce emissions by 20 percent, increase renewables by 20 percent, and increase overall energy efficiency by 20 percent. Furthermore, E.U. projects indicate that by 2050, carbon emissions should be reduced by an additional 50 percent to avoid cataclysmic implications of global warming. This plan, coupled by efforts in the U.S., indicates dramatic regulatory, technological, and lifestyle shifts. While California is advancing climate change initiatives that garnered E.U. support and encouragement, the U.S. still lacks a cohesive national policy. This issue will continue to dominate transatlantic relations.

The GMF experience also allows for deepened relationships with our European peers. A colleague of mine from Chicago and I were invited to a charming dinner party hosted by Luca DiPreso, an Italian advisor to the European Parliament. In traditional Italian hospitality, the dinner party went well into the evening in a salon-like atmosphere with other guests from Germany, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Spain, and France. Obamamania continues on both sides of the Atlantic. Although one guest quipped that his only regret of Hillary Clinton's campaign progress is that many people will miss out on vibrant, star-powered G8 Summits with both Bill Clinton and Carla Bruni in tow. After the raucous laughter that ensued, I vowed to report on it in this blog.

We departed Brussels today by train to Amsterdam. Our travel group has divided up into smaller groups of six. My small group is excited to explore the Netherlands over the next five days, including a focus on the Hague, immigration, water, and urban development.

Language Matters

Our group landed in Brussels, Belgium and spent the past two days with a focus on the dynamics of both Belgium and the European Union.

We spent time touring Brussels and engaged in dialogue on the current political situation in Belgium. Cultural identity and language have threatened to drive a wedge in the governance of the country- primarily between the Flemish-speaking and French-speaking populations. Our speaker, Bart Dirks (pictured right), a Dutch correspondent and author with newspaper de Volkskrant, concluded the current political challenges are rooted in language, which defines the largest division threatening Belgian political unity. In reflecting on this concept, I am reminded of the debates around English-language-only movements in Southern California and the states; as well as the much-covered primary results from Puerto Rico. We clearly have much to learn from Europe about national identity and multilingualism, and perhaps some lessons to share as well.















We also visited the beautiful city of Ghent (pictured above). It was an important European city between 1000 and 1550 for trade and its universities. Today its architecture and landscape are well preserved, making it a one-of-a-kind, walkable experience in history.

We closed our weekend with a dinner and presentation from Paul Taylor, Reuters’ Bureau Chief in Brussels. Taylor provided a journalist’s perspective on the E.U., including the key 'schools of thought' that are defining E.U. coverage; contrasting ideas ranging from the E.U. as a tremendous economic benefit to all nations, to the E.U. as negatively absorbing national autonomy, identity and economic prosperity. He also included insights on food quality and importation, and climate change issues and regulations that are currently dominating the U.S./E.U. agenda.

On Becoming American

This phrase has been bouncing around in my head since I heard it yesterday in one of our first Marshall Memorial Fellowship (MMF) briefings in Washington, D.C.

The notion is that a limited few Americans actually have the opportunity to explore their culture and values from an enhanced vantage point outside of our country's borders. It's estimated that only 18 percent of Americans hold a U.S. passport.

It's a notion that certainly struck a chord with me as I begin to meet and build relationships with the other fellows from across the U.S. (pictured above). Our conversations naturally center on our communities and our work at first meeting. We are a diverse and good-natured group, and certainly our assembly will in part help to answer the question of what it means to be American, while at the same time allowing us to explore transatlantic relationships.

In D.C., we had several briefings on values and beliefs in the transatlantic relations and the big picture on U.S./European relations. Both were provocative dialogues. Additionally, we also heard the European perspective on the U.S. presidential elections, and have been clued in to the state of 'Obamamania' in Europe- the fascination with Barack Obama, the son of an immigrant, as a viable U.S. president. I sense the European aspirations for the U.S. seem to mirror those in California, particularly in terms of immigration, social issues and climate change.

I look forward to exploring this more deeply in the coming days and weeks.

Next stop Brussels.