Press releases
BICC has as new name \ Leading German peace and conflict research institute is now “Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies”
BICC, founded in 1994 as “Internationales Konversionszentrum Bonn – Bonn International Center for Conversion” will now be named the “Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies” as of 15 September 2021. With this step, the second-largest peace and conflict research institute in Germany is marking the advancement and broadening of its research and advisory activities.
At the time of BICC’s foundation after the end of the Cold War, there was hope for an era of global arms conversion. Thirty years later, disillusionment has set in: We see protracted civil wars, new arms races, and increasing societal tensions reflected in extremist behaviour and terrorism in many places around the world. “These political shifts have not left BICC unaffected. For a long time now, we have concentrated our scientific research on how internal and interstate conflicts and divisions can be overcome”, Conrad Schetter, Director of BICC, explains in response to the change of name. “We consider it our central mandate to bring our knowledge, analyses and recommendations into politics and practice. And this will be the case for the foreseeable future”, Schetter points out.
“The BICC acronym, its proven trademark, remains, but the new name itself is also important. By changing ‘Conversion’ to ‘Conflict Studies’, this new name reflects a development which has greatly contributed to BICC’s success and its international reputation. The Centre generates in-depth knowledge on topics, such as ‘forced migration and displacement’, ‘radicalisation and social marginalisation’ or issues about land and resources. Owing to its extensive expertise, BICC is an important source of advice for the government in NRW”, emphasises Isabel Pfeiffer Poensgen, Minister of Culture and Science of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).
The female Mayor of the City of Bonn, Ms Katja Dörner, stresses the many years of active partnership in the large network of the UN city of Bonn, which remains part of the Centre's name. “The dynamic development that the city of Bonn has seen over the past two and a half decades is reflected in the development of BICC, which has now led to its new name. BICC has expanded its reach to include central topics of conflict research and also wants to reflect this through its name to the outside world”.
Press release "BICC has as new name \ Leading German peace and conflict research institute is now “Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies” (pdf, in English)
Press release "Umbenennung des BICC \ Führendes deutsches Friedens- und Konfliktforschungsinstitut heißt nun „Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies“ (pdf, in German)
"Online-Diskussion zur Umbenennung des BICC „Neue Wege in der Friedens- und Konfliktforschung?“, 15 September 2021, 18:00-19.30 hrs. Registration
“The BICC acronym, its proven trademark, remains, but the new name itself is also important. By changing ‘Conversion’ to ‘Conflict Studies’, this new name reflects a development which has greatly contributed to BICC’s success and its international reputation. The Centre generates in-depth knowledge on topics, such as ‘forced migration and displacement’, ‘radicalisation and social marginalisation’ or issues about land and resources. Owing to its extensive expertise, BICC is an important source of advice for the government in NRW”, emphasises Isabel Pfeiffer Poensgen, Minister of Culture and Science of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).
The female Mayor of the City of Bonn, Ms Katja Dörner, stresses the many years of active partnership in the large network of the UN city of Bonn, which remains part of the Centre's name. “The dynamic development that the city of Bonn has seen over the past two and a half decades is reflected in the development of BICC, which has now led to its new name. BICC has expanded its reach to include central topics of conflict research and also wants to reflect this through its name to the outside world”.
Press release "BICC has as new name \ Leading German peace and conflict research institute is now “Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies” (pdf, in English)
Press release "Umbenennung des BICC \ Führendes deutsches Friedens- und Konfliktforschungsinstitut heißt nun „Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies“ (pdf, in German)
"Online-Diskussion zur Umbenennung des BICC „Neue Wege in der Friedens- und Konfliktforschung?“, 15 September 2021, 18:00-19.30 hrs. Registration