Enlarge image Ambassador Georg Boomgaarden with former Ambassador Gebhardt von Moltke (© German Embassy London) For this year's 60th anniversary of the Königswinter Conference, the German Ambassador, Georg Boomgaarden, hosted a reception for the conference participants.  German and British guests from the political sphere were invited to participate in the three-day conference, held on 16-18 September at the Goodenough College and the Goodenough Club. 

In keeping with the spirit of the first Königswinter Conference, the plenary sessions not only underlined the depth and continuing strength of German-British friendship, but also addressed political and social themes, especially European integration in times of economic and social turbulence, and how Europe should develop in the era of globalisation.

Enlarge image Lord Watson (l) with Sir Michael Arthur, British Ambassador to Germany (r) (© German Embassy London) These themes were supported by a joint statement issued by the UK Prime Minister and the Federal Chancellor which read as follows:

"Over sixty successful years, the Conference has become a model of how to bring together leading figures from partner countries to discuss the biggest challenges of the day, whether national, European or global.  Königswinter has always stood for bilateral understanding and cooperation.  It has become an important component of UK-German friendship."

Further highlights of the 60th Königswinter Conference were speeches by Baroness Ashton, Minister of State and Security Baroness Neville-Jones, Federal Economics Minister Rainer Brüderle, and Dr Hans-Peter Bartels.