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Munich Security Conference sets up foundation
With passing the federal budget for 2020, the German Bundestag opened the way for a donation by the Federal Government to the Munich Security Conference Foundation. The Munich Security Conference Foundation was established to ensure the long-term sustainability and independence of the Munich Security Conference as the world’s leading forum for debate on international security policy. The Foundation strives to provide a solid institutional basis for the future development of the MSC which has grown substantially as an organization with numerous activities over the past years.
Over the last 56 years, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) has been constantly evolving. Established as a private initiative of the founder Ewald von Kleist, the conference has become a world-class institution.
A non-profit limited liability company (Stiftung Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz gGmbH) was founded in 2011. Since then, the MSC has complemented the annual main conference with a variety of formats, in order to expand its platforms for dialogue on foreign and security policy at the highest level over the entire year. With its own analyses and reports, such as the annual Munich Security Report, the MSC has become an important contributor to the debate on international security policy.
As a result, the number of MSC staff has grown steadily over the past years. Starting with a few part-time employees, a powerful team with more than 40 permanent staff members at two locations (Munich and Berlin) has developed in the meantime. To build a more solid basis for this growth and the increased relevance of the MSC, Ambassador Ischinger established a foundation under civil law, the Munich Security Conference Foundation, and donated all shares of the gGmbH to the Foundation in December 2018. The MSC Foundation is now the owner of the gGmbH and offers a sustainable basis for the further development of MSC.
"The Munich Security Conference remains true to its founding motto of promoting transatlantic cooperation for security and peace in freedom. At the same time, the MSC is committed to the European idea and advocates for a responsible German role on the path to further European integration," says Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the MSC.
Donations to the foundation
In addition to the Federal Government, the Bavarian State Government, the Robert Bosch Foundation, and EnBW AG have already donated to the MSC Foundation. A range of other important organizations, companies, and private individuals have also announced their intention to contribute.
The role of the Federal Goverment
On the basis of its donation, the German Federal Government will send a representative to the Board of Trustees. Nevertheless, the MSC Foundation still maintains its character as a politically independent international forum for dialogue.
