59th Munich Security Conference to Take Place on February 17 to 19, 2023

• Almost one year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the MSC 2023 will also provide an opportunity to take stock of alliance cohesion and political commitment to the rules-based international order. 

• Looking beyond its transatlantic core, the MSC 2023 will place a particular emphasis on diverse perspectives from the Global South. 

• The MSC 2023 will also provide the German Federal Government with the first opportunity to present and discuss its new National Security Strategy.   

Russia's full-blown invasion of Ukraine, launched a few days after the MSC 2022, has been widely perceived as a watershed moment or "Zeitenwende," as Chancellor Olaf Scholz put it. Since February, the world has struggled to cope with its repercussions. The brutal war has not only led to enormous suffering in Ukraine, but has also exacerbated crises in other parts of the world and triggered many governments to review and adapt their strategies. What does the world look like a year after the beginning of the invasion? Is the war an indicator of a more violent world, in which impunity prevails, the strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must? Or can it be a catalyst for a global recommitment to a rules-based international order? These and other questions will be at the center of the discussions in Munich.

The MSC 2023 will take place as an in-person event from February 17 to 19, 2023, at its traditional venue, the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich. Under the new chairmanship of Ambassador Dr. Christoph Heusgen, the MSC will once again welcome a series of high-ranking international decision-makers and experts, including heads of state and government, ministers, and diverse voices from international organizations, civil society, the private sector and the media.

In addition to the conference's main program (consisting of main stages, townhalls, conversations and roundtables), the MSC will also once again offer a carefully curated selection of official side-events hosted by leading organizations from around the world. The MSC has received hundreds of applications for the available slots and will ensure the best possible mix of themes, speakers, and formats.  

As has been the case for the past six decades, the entire event and all its many components will be governed by the Munich Rule: Engage and interact with each other: Don't lecture or ignore one another. Whether on or off stage, we encourage our guests to engage with and learn from each other and we expect all our speakers to stand ready to answer questions and engage with the audience at eye level.

The Munich Security Conference will champion diversity and sustainability in all their forms and stands ready to be measured against its very ambitious goals, be they gender parity amongst speakers or the inclusion of voices from the Global South.

The Munich Security Report (MSR) 2023, the traditional scene-setter for the debates in Munich, will be launched at the Federal Press Conference on February 13 at 10 am. The event will be held in German and will be streamed on our website as well as on our Twitter and YouTube accounts. In addition, we offer a background briefing in English in the week before the official launch. The report and accompanying materials will be available for download on the MSC website from February 13. Please contact us if you are interested in exclusive access to specific aspects of the MSR ahead of the official launch.

The MSR 2023 will feature the most recent edition of the Munich Security Index (MSI). The MSI measures public risk perception in twelve countries and is compiled in cooperation with KekstCNC.

The MSC’s “Zeitenwende on tour” campaign, supported by the Federal Press Office and a group of prominent partner organizations, will host a public townhall in Munich on the eve of the conference. The event series which is touring all German states offers the broader population the chance to engage with high-level decision-makers on the Zeitenwende and its implications. Further information about the campaign in general and the stop in Munich on February 16 specifically is available on the Zeitenwende website.

Following the pandemic restrictions of 2022, the MSC is committed to providing maximum access to the media in 2023. Press accreditation is open until January 31, 2023, via the Media Hub on this website. The MSC will provide a well-equipped Press Center near the conference venue and will offer a rich program of press conferences, background briefings, and interview opportunities.

The MSC is proud of its diverse media partnerships. Once again, the Bayerischer Rundfunk will serve as host broadcaster and single point of contact for TV-signalling. The MSC will also build on its successful cooperation with YouTube to host a group of prominent creators from around the world to engage with MSC participants. A full list of media partners will be available on our website in due course.  

For updates and insights, follow @MunSecConf on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our newsletter. To join the debates online, use the hashtag #MSC2023 and tag us @MunSecConf. Selected panels and press conferences will be broadcast on the MSC’s social media channels.