The Academy of International Affairs North Rhine-Westphalia, in partnership with the Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia to the European Union, invites policymakers, practitioners and researchers to a workshop examining the role of European regions in strengthening the Union’s soft power and cultural diplomacy. The event takes place at the NRW Representation in Brussels, …

The role of culture for the prestige and relative status of countries is well-known. While that kind of soft power remains difficult to measure in terms of its actual influence on international politics, cultural diplomacy is an established instrument of states’ foreign policy. The dominance of Western culture has long been contested, as Indian cinema, …

This year’s International Security Forum Bonn (ISFB) brings together top experts and practitioners to tackle pressing questions about transatlantic relations and the future of European security. Under the patronage of Nathanael Liminski, Minister for Federal, European and International Affairs and Media and Head of the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia, the forum—organized by CASSIS with …

As part of the United Nations World Space Forum in Bonn (3–6 December 2024), AIA NRW organised a side event titled “Responsibility in Space for Sustainability on Earth” on 2 December 2024. In his keynote address, ESA astronaut and astrophysicist Gerhard Thiele shared insights from his personal experiences in space travel. He reflected on his …

Together with the Korean embassy, the AIA NRW took the lead in organizing an Indo-Pacific conference in Düsseldorf. The Indo-Pacific region will take on greater geostrategic significance, not least in light of the election results in the US election campaign.

Parliamentary Meeting at the Bundestag Over the past 50 years, political tensions in economic relations between Germany and China have tended to be the exception. This has changed as a result of flaring international conflicts such as the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the associated geostrategic consequences. China’s open claim to power is …

In cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, a conference entitled “What are the challenges and opportunities in inter-Korean relations?” was held at the Bonn Science Center on 20 November on the future of South Korea and the challenges facing the country in light of the current global situation.

Europe is once again facing a crossroads: Will it lose importance in the face of the global changes and shifts in power that have been evident for some time now, or will it be able to gain influence on future regional and international orders once again?

The International Security Forum Bonn has a longstanding tradition of serving as a prominent platform for convening esteemed international experts and practitioners in the fields of security and foreign policy. This forum provides a unique opportunity for in-depth discussions on the future of transatlantic relations and critical issues within the realm of international politics. Its …

On March 15, the Academy for International Politics of North Rhine-Westphalia (AIA NRW) hosted a Parliamentary Encounter on “The Evacuation of the Local Forces in Afghanistan – Lessons Learnt” at the Bundestag from 12:00-13:30.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly and often unnoticed becoming part of our everyday lives. Many decisions in job application processes, in finding a partner, in granting loans or in legal proceedings are now made with the help of AI and are difficult to question due to a lack of transparency. But our overconfidence in machine …

In December, the Russian human rights organisation Memorial will be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. To mark the occasion, the Academy of International Affairs NRW has invited the co-founder and Executive Director of Memorial International Dr. h.c. Elena Zhemkova to Bonn. The former President of the European Court of Human Rights, Prof. Dr. …

Russia is pursuing a war of aggression against Ukraine with the goal of forcing its disappearance as an independent state and of fundamentally altering the security architecture of Europe. At the same time, it has become clear how much the return of thinking in terms of spheres of influence builds on historical arguments, which were …

On 15 February 2022, the Consular Corps of North Rhine-Westphalia was invited to the Academy of International Affairs NRW. There, Regine Grienberger, Ambassador for Cyber Foreign Policy at the Federal Foreign Office, spoke about Cyber Diplomacy. Political scientist Volker Kronenberg from the University of Bonn reported on his department.