Marshall Memorial Fellowship: Rediscovering Ourselves in a Transatlantic Discussion

When one gets ready to join a group of highly qualified people from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities in a program like the Marshall Memorial Fellowship that strives to enrich the transatlantic relationship, it is almost impossible not to feel some concern. How will I fit in? What should I say and not say? How is my background relevant to this group — or is it relevant at all? What I can give the group and the program, and what should I take with me?

I grappled with these questions and many others along this line as I was getting ready to join the Marshall Memorial Fellowship Spring 2016 European cohort.  I knew I did not have all the answers, but somehow simply having asked myself these questions made me feel more comfortable. I figured I would discover the answers later.

And indeed, as the program unfolded and as I got to know the other Fellows, I learned a lot. Not only about them, but about myself too.  The first thing I learned is that my questions were not only mine. Other Fellows had had similar questions as well. That was a great first lesson. As we got to know each other better, my other questions were being answered.

The journalists, reporters, artists, lawyers, politicians, academicians, researchers, social entrepreneurs, financiers, education specialists, businesspeople, and others in our cohort – from across Europe – represented nothing less than a wealth of knowledge and experience, which I would most likely never gained access to had it not been for the program. To learn about them and who they are, what they have done, what they are doing now, what they stand for and why was the pinnacle of getting to learn who I am in a whole new way.

The interaction we had as a cohort and in smaller groups in the cities we visited across the U.S. gave us the opportunity to not only learn from and share with each other, but also build on our commonalities and better understand our differences. All of these exchanges — mostly highly intellectual and sometimes even emotional — was multiplied in its effect when one takes into account the opportunity we to meet many U.S. colleagues, speakers, and other former U.S. Fellows in Washington, DC, and the rest of the cities we visited. The opportunity to have these discussions and exchanges with Americans (including the U.S. cohort, although for a very brief period of time) magnified my learning process and my understanding of all of us.

Therefore, this process of re-inventing myself has left me with a new and more insightful understanding of who I am and what I can do in the field of transatlantic relations. It taught me lessons I would have not learned otherwise — either through reading books, my studies, or other activities rather than self-centered experiences in this area. I now feel that in each one of us, Europeans and Americans, there is also a transatlantic identity that needs to be awakened. We share many of common values and can better understand many of our differences. We believe in a many common ideals and share a lot of the same visions. We all come from a variety of backgrounds, but we can still work as one whole. We may see things differently, but can always find a common ground for rational discussions. And, most importantly, we can all disagree and still find ways to work around disagreements and strive for success.

Yes, Marshall Memorial Fellows are just a handful of individuals that exposed to a profound experience. Chances are we may not lead the world or shape the transatlantic relationship which is, I believe, at the core of global affairs. But what we can do is strive to make our lives and our communities better, and  try to help our societies move forward in the way that promotes peace and prosperity for all.  And we can do this above all if we embrace our inner transatlantic selves.

Faton Bislimi, Founder, The Bislimi Group Foundation, is a Spring 2016 European Marshall Memorial Fellow.