To read more you can visit the Seminar Committees new website.
Sunday afternoon:
The CIOR 2016 Winter Seminar commenced today. LtCol Hans Garrels, Chairman of the CIOR Seminar Committee, welcomed the speakers, panel members and other attendees. The Winter Seminar is co-sponsored by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers (CIOR). Messieurs Martin Hoch and Rüdiger Gottzein also adressed the Seminar attendess, and welcomed them on behalf of the KAS.
An overview by the panel members, and some of the speakers, disclosed the different subjects in their presentations. The theme of this Winter Seminar is IS – Understanding the threat and its implications. All attendees were given the opportunity to ask their questions on what subjects should be covered in the coming days’ lectures.
In contrast to prior Seminars, midway through the Seminar their will be workshops for the attendees. This interactive element was initiated by LtCol Garrels to address the feedback from the 2015 Winter Seminar – the need for attendees to not just sit an listen, and ask questions – but to actually attempt to use the information provided.
All Winter Seminar presentations are governed by Chatham House rules, preventing quotes from the speakers. However, we will keep you posted with news and photos on these timely and important discussions.
Sunday evening:
Presentation Rüdiger Gottzein about the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.
The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung is a political foundation with a yearly budget of more then 150 million euro. The main goal of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung is: Democracy!
The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung is a think-tank and consultancy agency, they organise conferences, events and support intellectually gifted young people. The archive christian democratic politics researches and studies the history of Christian Democracy in Germany and Europe. More on the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung is to be read at their website: http://www.kas.de/wf/en/
Monday morning:
From 9.00 am – 11.00 Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi from the United Kingdom gives his presentation titled: “IS historical introduction”. Mr Al-Tamimi provides a chronological overview of the origins of IS, it’s leaders and their predecessors.
Mr Al-Tamimi’s presentation is ready to be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
From 11.00 – 12.30 Huib Wursten from The Netherlands talks about the subject of “IS – cultural and sociological20160201_111452-crop.jpg aspects”. Many sides of religious and cultural behaviour are highlighted. Mr. Wursten states that all differences between groups are more of a cultural then a religious nature.
Mr. Wurstens presentation will be in the bottom of the page as soon as we get it.
Monday afternoon:
Ms Juliette Bird from 14.00 – 15.30 presents legal issues related to NATO and IS under the theme “IS – legal aspects”. Ms. Bird discusses issues such as the concept of a State, UN and NATO principles and article 3 and 5 related to recent events.
Just before the snackbreak Saban Kardas, from 16.00 – 17.30 gives the audience a presentation about “Future of the Alliance, Turkey, US and EU relations, Kurdish issue”. The speaker, from a Turkish view explains the issues Turkey has with terrorists on the south border.
Between snackbreak and dinner, from 18.00 – 19.30, Andrew Mumford has the honour to fill the last timeslot. In his own words: “I’m aware of the fact that I am the only thing between you and a good glass of wine”. Mumforts presentation is called “IS military and tactical perspective”. His presentation covers the issue of proxy warfare, and one of his challenging statements is: ‘future wars fought by Western militaries are more likely to be against third party proxies than state forces’.
Tuesday morning:
Yesterday IS was approached from cultural, legal and sociological side. This morning, from 09.00 – 10.30, Prof. Solomon Hussein puts the emphasis on religious aspects of IS. Prof. Husseins presentation is on the bottom of this page. Mr. Hussein is a muslim himself and is quite open about the measures of the West against IS and radicalisation: “too little, too late”.
Tuesday afternoon:
This afternoon Mr. Jaeger gives a presentation about “Putin’s intentions in Syria”. A very interesting story that makes the attendees think of the 2015 Seminar, in which Russia played a big role. Mr. Jaeger’s presentation is at the bottom of this page.
Wednesday morning:
This morning LtCol Rudi talks about organisational and financial aspects of IS. After this presentation it is time for former ambassador Philippe Welti to wrap up the Seminar. Rudiger Gottzein and Martin Hoch say thanks to the speakers and Hans Garrels closes the Seminar thanking his committee-members for their tremendous work in the past month’s.
Maybe you want to know a little more about the given presentations. If that’s the case, let us know by e-mail.