# French-American Foundation

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Non-profit organization

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The **French-American Foundation** is a privately funded, [non-governmental organization](/source/Non-governmental_organization) established to promote bilateral relations between [France](/source/France) and the [United States](/source/United_States) on [topics](/source/France%E2%80%93United_States_relations) of importance to the two countries, with a focus on contact between upcoming leaders from each country. It employs a variety of initiatives that include multi-year policy programs, conferences on issues of French-American interest, and leadership and professional exchanges of decision-makers from France and the United States.[1]

Founded in 1976, the Foundation is an operating organization that relies on outside financial support to carry out its mission and does not provide grants. It is an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit organization.[2][3][4]

## History

The idea was born in 1973 between Ambassador [James G. Lowenstein](/source/James_G._Lowenstein), [James Chace](/source/James_Chace), editor-in-chief of *[Foreign Affairs](/source/Foreign_Affairs)*, both members of the [Council on Foreign Relations](/source/Council_on_Foreign_Relations), an independent think tank, and [Nicholas Wahl](/source/Nicholas_Wahl), a specialist of post-war France at [Princeton University](/source/Princeton_University).[5] In order to counter an [anti-French sentiment](/source/Anti-French_sentiment) within the [State Department](/source/State_Department), the [Senate Committee on Foreign Relations](/source/Senate_Committee_on_Foreign_Relations) and the press, as well as [anti-Americanism](/source/Anti-Americanism) among the French elite, the three men grew the desire to create a structure dedicated to friendship between the US and its oldest ally, and outside government control, unlike the existing exchange programs led by the State Department since 1941.[6]

## Young Leaders

The Young Leaders program is the flagship program of the French-American Foundation.[7] The program was created in 1981, under the sponsorship of [Princeton](/source/Princeton_University) French-American economist Ezra Suleiman who remained its president until 2000.[8] It was initially intended as a response to observations that the close working relationships between French and American leaders in the post-war period were waning as new, younger leaders rose with little exposure to their transatlantic counterparts. 38 years later, it still plays a key role in the creation of transatlantic bonds, with more than 500 leaders in government, business, media, military, culture and the non-profit sector having taken part.[7]

Every year, juries in France and the United States select a small group (around twenty) of French and Americans between 30 and 40, that are destined to hold a leadership position in their field and to play an important role in a globalized world.[8] The selected Young Leaders then participate in two five-day seminars, alternatively in the U.S. and France, with the opportunity to discuss issues of common concern and, more importantly, get to know each other and create durable bonds.[9][10][11]

### Notable alumni

Young Leaders alumni include prominent Americans such as:[12][13][14]

- Former President [Bill Clinton](/source/Bill_Clinton)

- Former presidential candidate [Hillary Clinton](/source/Hillary_Clinton)

- Executive [Dina Powell](/source/Dina_Powell)

- Los Angeles Mayor [Eric Garcetti](/source/Eric_Garcetti)

- Senator [Evan Bayh](/source/Evan_Bayh)

- Senator [Bill Bradley](/source/Bill_Bradley)

- Entrepreneur [Auren Hoffman](/source/Auren_Hoffman)

- General [Wesley Clark](/source/Wesley_Clark)

- Former [White House Chief of Staff](/source/White_House_Chief_of_Staff) [Joshua Bolten](/source/Joshua_Bolten)

- Former [World Bank](/source/World_Bank) president [Robert Zoellick](/source/Robert_Zoellick)

- Filmmaker [Charles Ferguson](/source/Charles_Ferguson_(filmmaker))

- [Frank Herringer](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frank_Herringer&action=edit&redlink=1), [Transamerica Corporation](/source/Transamerica_Corporation)

- [John Thain](/source/John_Thain), [CIT Group](/source/CIT_Group)

- Journalist [Gwen Ifill](/source/Gwen_Ifill)[12]

- Artist [Kabir Sehgal](/source/Kabir_Sehgal)[15]

- Former Massachusetts Attorney General [James Shannon](/source/James_Shannon_(Massachusetts_politician))

- Former [DHS](/source/United_States_Department_of_Homeland_Security) Assistant Secretary [Jeohn Favors](/source/Jeohn_Favors)

French honorees include:[12]

- President [Emmanuel Macron](/source/Emmanuel_Macron)

- Former Prime Minister [Édouard Philippe](/source/%C3%89douard_Philippe)

- Former President [François Hollande](/source/Fran%C3%A7ois_Hollande)

- Astronaut [Thomas Pesquet](/source/Thomas_Pesquet)

- [Pierre Moscovici](/source/Pierre_Moscovici)

- [Arnaud Montebourg](/source/Arnaud_Montebourg)

- [Najat Vallaud-Belkacem](/source/Najat_Vallaud-Belkacem)

- [Fleur Pellerin](/source/Fleur_Pellerin)[9]

- Former Prime Minister [Alain Juppé](/source/Alain_Jupp%C3%A9)

- [Henri de Castries](/source/Henri_de_Castries), [AXA](/source/AXA)

- [Alexandre de Juniac](/source/Alexandre_de_Juniac), [Air France-KLM](/source/Air_France-KLM)

- [Michel Combes](/source/Michel_Combes), [Alcatel-Lucent](/source/Alcatel-Lucent)

- [Frédéric Lemoine](/source/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Lemoine), [Wendel](/source/Wendel_(group))

- [Anne Lauvergeon](/source/Anne_Lauvergeon), former chairperson & CEO of [AREVA](/source/AREVA)

- [Michel Bon](/source/Michel_Bon), former CEO of [France Télécom](/source/France_T%C3%A9l%C3%A9com)[7]

## Annual Gala

The Annual Gala is the principal fundraising event of the French-American Foundation. Each year at the Gala, the Foundation presents its Benjamin Franklin Award to two individuals who have made significant contributions to the French-American relationship. The Comte de Vergennes Award is presented to longtime supporters of the French-American Foundation.

Past honorees include: [Anne Lauvergeon](/source/Anne_Lauvergeon), [Patricia Russo](/source/Patricia_Russo), Ambassador [Anne Cox Chambers](/source/Anne_Cox_Chambers), [Henri de Castries](/source/Henri_de_Castries), [John A. Thain](/source/John_A._Thain), Hon. [C. Douglas Dillon](/source/C._Douglas_Dillon), Hon. [Walter J. P. Curley](/source/Walter_J._P._Curley), [Médecins Sans Frontières](/source/M%C3%A9decins_Sans_Fronti%C3%A8res), [Bernard Arnault](/source/Bernard_Arnault), [Michel David-Weill](/source/Michel_David-Weill), the [Forbes family](/source/Forbes_family), [Maurice Lévy](/source/Maurice_L%C3%A9vy_(Publicis)), and [Frederick W. Smith](/source/Frederick_W._Smith).

## The Translation Prize

The FAF awards annually the French-American Foundation and Florence Gould Foundation Translation Prize.[16] The prize has been awarded since 1986. Since 2003, there have been two awards, one fiction, and one nonfiction. The prizes are not limited to contemporary works; [Lydia Davis](/source/Lydia_Davis) won in 2004 for her translation of [Marcel Proust](/source/Marcel_Proust)'s *[Swann's Way](/source/Swann's_Way)*. [Arthur Goldhammer](/source/Arthur_Goldhammer) won in 2005 for his translation of [Alexis de Tocqueville](/source/Alexis_de_Tocqueville)'s *[Democracy in America](/source/Democracy_in_America)*.

## See also

- [France–United States relations](/source/France%E2%80%93United_States_relations)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Parker, Kevin (2023-07-07). ["French-American Foundation Names Edward Wallace as its Chair"](https://www.citybiz.co/article/437712/french-american-foundation-names-edward-wallace-as-its-chair/). *citybiz*. Retrieved 2026-01-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Mohr, Alexander (2010), *The German Political Foundations As Actors in Democracy Assistance*, Political Science, Boca Raton, Florida: Universal-Publishers, p. 145

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Huot-Marchand, Amalia (2025-06-24). ["French-American Foundation unveils 2025 'Young Leaders'"](https://thehill.com/policy/international/5362010-french-american-foundation-205-young-leaders/). *The Hill*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250909064043/https://thehill.com/policy/international/5362010-french-american-foundation-205-young-leaders/) from the original on 2025-09-09. Retrieved 2026-01-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Yash Roy, Eden Teshome (2024-06-27). ["French-American Foundation announces 2024 'Young Leaders'"](https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/4743375-french-american-foundation-announces-2024-young-leaders/). *The Hill*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240628023437/https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/4743375-french-american-foundation-announces-2024-young-leaders/) from the original on 2024-06-28. Retrieved 2026-01-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Mission"](https://frenchamerican.org/about/mission/). *French-American Foundation*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190105200854/https://frenchamerican.org/about/mission/) from the original on 2019-01-05. Retrieved 2019-01-04.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-charles_6-0)** ["Young Leaders, l'enfance des chefs"](http://revuecharles.fr/young-leaders-lenfance-des-chefs/). *Charles* (in French). No. 12. January 2014. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031201/http://revuecharles.fr/young-leaders-lenfance-des-chefs/) from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-10-29.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ylus_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ylus_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ylus_7-2) ["Young Leaders"](https://frenchamerican.org/young-leaders/the-program/). French-American Foundation. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190104213501/http://frenchamerican.org/young-leaders/the-program/) from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-04.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-figaro_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-figaro_8-1) de Ravinel, Sophie (10 October 2014). ["Le petit club de l'élite transatlantique"](http://www.lefigaro.fr/mon-figaro/2014/10/09/10001-20141009ARTFIG00425-le-petit-club-de-l-elite-transatlantique.php) [The small club of the transatlantic elite]. *[Le Figaro](/source/Le_Figaro)* (in French). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20151119070857/http://www.lefigaro.fr/mon-figaro/2014/10/09/10001-20141009ARTFIG00425-le-petit-club-de-l-elite-transatlantique.php) from the original on 2015-11-19. Retrieved 2015-10-29.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-inter_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-inter_9-1) ["L'oncle Sam : un ami très influent"](http://www.franceinter.fr/emission-lenquete-loncle-sam-un-ami-tres-influent) [Uncle Sam, a very influential friend]. *[France Inter](/source/France_Inter)* (in French). 9 October 2015. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20151010161735/http://www.franceinter.fr/emission-lenquete-loncle-sam-un-ami-tres-influent) from the original on 2015-10-10. Retrieved 2015-10-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Young Leaders"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151031111305/http://french-american.org/actions/echanges/young-leaders/) (in French). French-American Foundation. Archived from [the original](http://french-american.org/actions/echanges/young-leaders/) on 2015-10-31. Retrieved 2015-10-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Mali, Meghashyam (2018-06-19). ["French-American Foundation announces 2018 'Young Leaders'"](https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/392973-french-american-foundation-announces-2018-young-leaders). *[The Hill](/source/The_Hill_(newspaper))*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190105043523/https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/392973-french-american-foundation-announces-2018-young-leaders) from the original on 2019-01-05. Retrieved 2019-01-04.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-French-American_Foundation_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-French-American_Foundation_12-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-French-American_Foundation_12-2) ["The Program"](https://frenchamerican.org/young-leaders/the-program/). *French-American Foundation*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190104213501/http://frenchamerican.org/young-leaders/the-program/) from the original on 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-01-04.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Lejeune, Tristan (2017-06-27). ["French-American Foundation announces 2017 'Young Leaders'"](https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/news-other-foreign-policy/339550-french-american-foundation-announces-2017). *[The Hill](/source/The_Hill_(newspaper))*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190105043550/https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/news-other-foreign-policy/339550-french-american-foundation-announces-2017) from the original on 2019-01-05. Retrieved 2019-01-04.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["French-American Foundation unveils 2025 'Young Leaders'"](https://thehill.com/policy/international/5362010-french-american-foundation-205-young-leaders/). *The Hill*. June 24, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Earlier Classes - 2019"](https://frenchamerican.org/young-leaders/earlier-classes/2019/). *French-American Foundation*. Retrieved January 20, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Translation Prize"](https://frenchamerican.org/initiatives/translation-prize/). *French-American Foundation*. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.

## External links

- [Official website](https://frenchamerican.org/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [French-American Foundation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French-American_Foundation) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French-American_Foundation?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.