About the Atlantic Council

The Atlantic Council of the United States promotes constructive U.S. leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the central role of the Atlantic community in meeting the international challenges of the 21st century. The Council embodies a non-partisan network of leaders who aim to bring ideas to power and to give power to ideas by:

•  stimulating dialogue and discussion about critical international issues with a view to enriching public debate and promoting consensus on appropriate responses in the Administration, the Congress, the corporate and nonprofit sectors, and the media in the United States and among leaders in Europe, Asia, and the Americas;
• conducting educational and exchange programs for successor generations of U.S. leaders so that they will come to value U.S. international engagement and have the knowledge and understanding necessary to develop effective policies.

Through its diverse networks, the Council builds broad constituencies to support constructive U.S. leadership and policies. Its program offices publish informational analyses, convene conferences among current and/or future leaders, and contribute to the public debate in order to integrate the views of knowledgeable individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds, interests and experiences.

Important contributions by the Council include:

• identifying and shaping responses to major issues facing the Atlantic Alliance and transatlantic relations;
• building consensus on U.S. policy towards Russia, China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan;
• promoting balanced responses to growing energy needs and environmental protection;
• drafting roadmaps for U.S. policy towards the Balkans, Cuba, Iraq, Iran, and Libya;
• engaging students from across the Euro-Atlantic area in the processes of NATO transformation and enlargement