Atlantic Council

The Atlantic Council is an American think tank in the field of international affairs, favoring Atlanticism, founded in 1961 by Christian Herter and William L. Clayton. It manages sixteen regional centers and functional programs related to international security and global economic prosperity. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, and is a member of the Atlantic Treaty Association. The Atlantic Council was founded with the stated mission of encouraging continued cooperation between North America and Europe following World War II. Its early work focused particularly on transatlantic economic cooperation and free trade, as well as maintaining connections among policymakers in Europe and North America. Its activities subsequently expanded beyond the transatlantic relationship to other regions and a broader range of foreign policy issues. The Council describes itself as nonpartisan and is, by charter, independent of the United States government and NATO. It has received funding from foundations, corporations, individuals, and governments.