CBYX alumni reunion to spotlight U.S.-Germany diplomacy in Atlanta

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Alumni Association will hold its third annual National Reunion Nov. 6-8 in Atlanta, bringing alumni together for transatlantic programming and a fireside chat with two former U.S.-Germany diplomats. The weekend marks more than four decades of exchange ties and aims to strengthen the alumni network behind them.

Why it matters: - The CBYX Alumni Association is trying to turn a long-running exchange program into a stronger, more active U.S.-Germany network. - The reunion is designed to connect alumni across generations and reinforce person-to-person ties that can outlast political shifts in either country. - The event comes as the exchange program marks four decades of impact and more than 30,000 alumni.

What happened: - The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Alumni Association will host its third annual National Reunion Nov. 6-8, 2026, at Halle Haus in Atlanta. - The Halle Foundation is partnering on the weekend. - Ritter Sport USA is supporting the 2026 reunion. - The gathering will include transatlantic programming, speakers and alumni networking.

The details: - The centerpiece is a members-only fireside chat with Ambassador J.D. Bindenagel and Robin Quinville, who most recently served as Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin. - Bindenagel was involved in the development of CBYX itself. - The conversation will cover German-American diplomacy from the pre-1989 era to the present. - The reunion also includes a panel of CBYX alumni from multiple decades. - Kevin Dibb, Senior Policy Affairs Specialist at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Washington, will host the panel. - The alumni panel will focus on how a year abroad affected participants' personal and professional development. - Michelle Hayward, co-chair of the CBYX Alumni Association, said the reunion exists to turn individual exchange stories into a single, active community.

Between the lines: - The event puts alumni relationships at the center of diplomacy, not just institutions. - The focus on former diplomats and alumni suggests the association sees exchange as a long-term foreign policy asset, not only a student program. - The weekend also serves as a visibility boost for the alumni association as it expands its role beyond reunion events.

What's next: - The reunion will take place over the Nov. 6-8 weekend in Atlanta. - The alumni association is expected to continue programming for new returnees and broader alumni engagement after the reunion. - The network will likely keep connecting alumni with U.S. and German officials through future events and speaking opportunities.

The bottom line: - CBYX alumni are using the Atlanta reunion to showcase exchange as a durable part of U.S.-Germany relations, with alumni now helping sustain the program's next chapter.