|
HOME
ABOUT AGW
BOARD
STAFF
SUPPORTERS |
A Greater
Washington’s Organizational History
Neal Peirce,
syndicated columnist and author of Citistates, noted in
1993 that the Washington region was falling behind other regions
in global competition: “across our citistate we simply do not
talk with each other, do not know each other well enough to
build caring alliances and common-sense solutions.”
Peirce
elaborated on this problem in three key points: First,
the real city is the region. Despite the fact that our
governments are established at the local, state, and national
levels, the reality is that we live our lives at neighborhood,
regional, and global levels. Second, other
regions in this country and around the world understand this,
and they are organizing and acting regionally. They know that
collaboration and cooperation are the keys to success in the
global marketplace. Third, Washington is way
behind the curve.
Inspired by
Peirce’s words, in an October 1996 speech at The Smithsonian
Institution, Bruce Adams challenged the region to become “A
Greater Washington,” to imagine “a Washington that is better,
stronger, and more vibrant than the Washington of today as well
as a Washington that is larger than the city, a Washington that
is metropolitan in its vision.”
This initial
challenge led to the creation and evolution of A Greater
Washington and remains as the guiding principle from which all
of the organization’s initiatives grow. John W. Gardner, founder
of Common Cause & Independent Sector, has said "The leadership
challenge of our times is to build working relationships of
trust across the boundaries that traditionally divide and
diminish a community. Bruce Adams and the other leaders of A
Greater Washington have the right idea."
Today, A
Greater Washington’s focus is on four priorities:
- Fostering a
working relationship among key leaders from diverse
constituencies and different jurisdictions;
- Building
trust throughout the region by sharing successes of
individuals and organizations at the regional and neighborhood
levels in an effort to help foster better cooperation and
coordination;
-
Demonstrating the value of regional collaboration by
organizing a structure for developing regional solutions on
critical issues, including the involvement of all types of
leaders as well as detailed strategies to implement new
policies; and
- Conducting
on-going public education about the interdependence of our
region.
A Greater
Washington remains firmly committed to challenging the citizens
of our region to fulfill our potential. Bruce Adams, founder and
President of A Greater Washington, stated that "With a broad
vision of a greater Washington, a determination to make real
change, and a willingness to work together, we will be able to
help make the Washington region the finest place to live, work
and raise children in all the world. Together we can do it. We
should not settle for less." |
