For 80 years, North Rhine-Westphalia has been synonymous with transformation and creative drive. From Germany’s industrial heartland, the state has evolved into a central hub for innovation, technology, and economic networking in Europe. Today, more than ever, the question arises as to what role North Rhine-Westphalia can and must play in a world marked by …

German security policy has repeatedly faced profound upheavals—from the rearmament of the young Federal Republic under Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to the current “turning point,” which calls for a fundamental redefinition of military capabilities, international responsibility, and strategic partnerships. But how can these historical and current turning points be understood in relation to one another? What …

Climate change is not only altering ecosystems but also shifting geopolitical power dynamics. Melting polar ice caps are opening up new trade routes and access to resources in the Arctic, while strategically significant regions such as the Strait of Hormuz are increasingly caught in the crossfire of global interests. At the very least, the discussion …

As Europe rethinks its foreign policy amidst shifting global political relations, one question remains central: Can cooperation succeed without confronting colonial history? This panel takes Germany’s first genocide of the 20th century in Namibia as a starting point to explore how colonial legacies continue to shape today’s global crises, from geopolitics and inequality to diplomacy …

Cities play a crucial role in building and maintaining democratic attitudes and processes. In response to increasing political paralysis, ideological deadlock or illiberal practices at the national level, mayors across Europe have formed regional policy and city networks to support each other in their efforts in areas such as climate protection and sustainable economic development, …

A challenge for most all advanced democracies including Canada, UK, Germany and the rest of Europe is to jump-start a more dynamic high-growth and high-tech economy, flagged as a top priority for Europe by 2024’s  Draghi report.  This task became doubly urgent when the US–under the new Trump Administration–began an international economic order- upending mercantilist …

The global order has changed dramatically over the past decade. Some of these changes have been disruptive, such as Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine or the escalation of violence in the Middle East. Other changes have taken place more gradually and outside of the spotlight of public attention, such as the quantitative decline of …

The Ruhr region in Germany and the so-called Rust Belt in the United States have undergone profound transformations in recent decades. Both regions, long defined by coal, steel, and heavy industry, have experienced the economic, social, and political consequences of deindustrialization. Yet despite structural similarities, the paths they have taken in responding to these changes …

At a time of growing geopolitical tensions, protectionism is experiencing a global renaissance. Numerous countries are threatening each other with punitive tariffs and trade restrictions. Aggressive economic policies are putting increasing pressure on global trade relations. In these geopolitical areas of tension, questions of sustainability and global justice are falling by the wayside.

Western media often describe the relationship between Russia and China as a close friendship between two ‘autocracies’ against the ‘Western community of values’. Xi and Putin speak of a ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’ that aims to establish a ‘multipolar world order’. But who should be the poles in a post-American world order? Is there a threat …

“Do not praise my merits from the past, but use my experience for the future.” This phrase concludes the memoirs of the second German Chancellor Ludwig Erhard, recorded by speechwriter Johnny Klein and edited by our Academic Board member Ulrich Schlie. Ludwig Erhard was granted this wish during a panel discussion on the consequences of …

The intensifying techno-geopolitical competition between China and the US has exposed Europe’s vulnerability to digital dependencies.

The Academy has already organized various events and a Fellow research project on Afghanistan’s past, present and future. On the 23rd anniversary of the first Bonn Afghanistan Conference, a discussion with former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, former Afghan Foreign Minister Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta and Dr. Katja Mielke (Senior Researcher, Bonn International Center for Conflict …

Understanding the Immigration Debate and Latino Voter Impact The evening event in cooperation with AmerikaHaus NRW, which was attended by around 50 participants, focused on the immigration debate and the influence of Latin American immigrants and communities on the US election campaign. While Trump’s immigration policy has become more than clear in recent years – …

Afghanistan is once again at the center of international attention. With the abrupt withdrawal of US troops and the rapid takeover of power by the Taliban in August 2021, the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the geopolitical landscape in the region have changed dramatically. These developments raise numerous questions, which we take as an opportunity …

The discussion took a clear and technically competent look at past Western involvement in Afghanistan from different perspectives. It offered plenty food for thought and further discussion.

The world has become increasingly less peaceful in recent years due to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and the escalation of violence in the Middle East. The associated challenges were discussed on Friday, May 10 at AIA NRW from a decidedly peace-ethical perspective. Public debates on these armed conflicts have so far been …

The Middle East has been a culturally and geostrategically fascinating and complex region for decades. The importance of this region for global politics in the 21st century will in all likelihood continue to grow.

The US Consulate General in Düsseldorf and the Academy co-organised two panel discussions evaluating the potential of subnational diplomacy in building meaningful partnerships. The event was part of the NRW-USA year commemorating the transatlantic partnership and celebrating the close cooperation this friendship has created.

The Academy of International Affairs NRW (AIA NRW) organized an expert discussion with Inna Șupac (Fellow at the AIA NRW) and Thomas Mayr-Harting (Austrian Ambassador and Special Representative of the OSCE for the Settlement of the Transnistrian Conflict) on the current situation of the Republic of Moldova and the role of the European Union in …