Atlantic Council

On April 29, the Atlantic Council hosted its Annual Awards Dinner, celebrating two historic dates in transatlantic relations: the 60th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

President George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States (1989-1993), and Helmut Kohl, the 6th Chancellor of Germany, received the Council’s Distinguished International Leadership Award for their historic roles in helping to end the Cold War and reunify Germany.

George H.W. Bush		Helmut Kohl

General David Petraeus, the commander of CENTCOM, received the Council’s Distinguished Military Leadership Award for his strength and courage in Iraq, Afghanistan, and throughout his military career.  Samuel Palmisano accepted the Distinguished Business Leadership Award for his role in building the largest and most diversified IT services organization in the industry, connecting investment, technology, and innovation.  The evening  also featured a special performance by world-renowned baritone Thomas Hampson, who received the Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award.

General David Petraeus		Samuel Palmisano		Thomas Hampson

Video:

• 2009 Atlantic Council Awards Dinner – C-SPAN
• Senator Chuck Hagel, Atlantic Council Chairman
• Frederick Kempe, Atlantic Council President and CEO
• Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy: Introduction for Thomas Hampson
  
• Thomas Hampson, Baritone
• Brent Scowcroft, former National Security Advisor: Introduction for Samuel Palmisano
• National Security Advisor General James Jones: Introduction for General David Petraeus
• General David Petraeus
• MSNBC Berlin Wall Video: 1989, narrated by Tom Brokaw
• Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Advisor: Introduction for Horst Teltschik
• Horst Teltschik, National Security Advisor to Chancellor Helmut Kohl, accepting for Chancellor Kohl
• Secretary of Defense Robert Gates: Introduction for President Bush
• President Bill Clinton: Personal Message for President Bush
• President George H.W. Bush
  

Transcripts and Podcasts:

• 2009 Atlantic Council Awards Dinner (Complete Transcript)
• President George H.W. Bush (Podcast – MP3, 6:06)
• Horst Teltschick, accepting for Chancellor Helmut Kohl (Podcast – MP3, 6:00)
• General David Petreaus (Podcast – MP3, 9:30)
• Mr. Samuel Palmisano (Prepared Remarks) [IBM]

New Atlanticist Commentary:

• Business the Most Successful Change Agent in Society
• Where Words Fail, Music Speaks
• Council Awards Gala: A Night to Remember
• Petraeus: NATO Faces Very Urgent Moment
• Gates: I'd Walk Through Fire for Bush

Media Coverage:

• MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Interview with General David Petraeus – Federal News Service
• Gates, Petraeus Join in Ceremony Honoring Leaders of Military, Statecraft – American Forces Press Service, John J. Kruzel
• George H.W. Bush, Kohl, & Petraeus honored by Atlantic Council – Washington Times
• Atlantic Council Awards Visionary Leaders – Diplomatic Pouch, Washington Diplomat, Anna Gawel
• The Baritone… and The Other World Leaders – Classical TV, Stephen Greco
• Hampson: 2009 Atlantic Council Awards – Classical TV
• South Stream is noxious for Romania: businessman – FOCUS News Agency
• Aznar Attends Atlantic Council Awards Gala in Washington, DC – Spain Business USA
  
• Atlantic Council President and CEO Fred Kempe on MSNBC's Morning Joe
  

Blogger Reactions:

• A Missed Opportunity – Edelman, Speak Up, Richard Edelman
• The Smarter Collaboration agenda for Smart Cities - IBM CEO @ Atlantic Council – IBM, Smarter Collaboration Insights, Antony Satyadas
• Video: “At the White House, we love MS-NBC” – Hot Air, Ed Morrissey
• White House Aide: "We Love MSNBC" – Huffington Post, Ryan Grim
• Like They Always Say: We Love MSNBC at the WH –mediabistro, FishbowlDC
• Obama official Kareem Dale confirms White House's love for MSNBC – Los Angeles Times, Top of the Ticket, Andrew Malcolm
• Obama Adviser: "We Love MSNBC" – RealClearPolitics Video
  
• Obama Official: 'At the White House, We Love MSNBC' – NewsBusters, Noel Sheppard
• Remarks by Kareem Dale, WH Adviser for Disability Policy – Beltway Blips
• Germany Becomes "Normal" and More Selfish – Atlantic Review, Joerg Wolf
• Remainders: Cheney is to Darth Vader what Biden is to Dark Helmet? – Politico, Shenanigans, Anne Schroeder Mullins

Thomas Hampson Performances (Classical TV):

• "Shenandoah"
• "The Boatmen's Dance"
• Schubert's "Lindenbaum"
• "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables, at the request of George H.W. Bush
• A Thomas Hampson Compilation

Bush-Kohl Telephone Conversations:

• Fall of the Berlin Wall
• German Reunification

Press Releases:

• 2009 Awards Dinner: Quotes
• 2009 Awards Dinner: Bush, Kohl, Petraeus, Palmisano, Hampson
  

Sponsors: 2009 Atlantic Council Awards Dinner

Awards Dinners:

• 2008 Leadership Awards: Blair, Murdoch, Mullen and Kissin
• 2007 Leadership Awards: Greenspan, Schwarzman and Jones
• 2006 Leadership Award: Warner
• 2005 Leadership Award: Powell
  

About the Atlantic Council Leadership Awards:

Since 1996, the Atlantic Council has selected an outstanding individual to receive its annual Award for Distinguished International Leadership.  Over the years, Distinguished Military, Business, and Artistic Leadership Awards have been added.  These awards reflect the Council’s mission of promoting constructive U.S. international engagement by honoring individuals who have made major contributions to U.S. foreign policy and transatlantic relations.

Previous recipients of the award have included current National Security Advisor General James L. Jones; former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair; former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, and Robert Rubin; business leaders Rupert Murdoch and Stephen Schwarzman; Senators John Warner, Chuck Hagel, and Sam Nunn; former National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft; former Supreme Allied Commander Joseph Ralston; and former NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson.

Please contact press@acus.org with press inquiries.