Wilton Park is an executive agency of the UK

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom. Equivalent to other countries' ministries of foreign affairs, it was created on 2 September 2020 through the merger of the Foreig ...

providing a global forum for strategic discussion. Based since 1951 at

Wiston House Wiston House is a 16th-century Grade I listed building set in the South Downs National Park on the south coast of England, surrounded by over of parkland in Wiston, West Sussex. It is the home of Wilton Park, an executive agency of the Foreign a ...

in Sussex, it organises over 70 dialogues a year in the UK and overseas, bringing together leading representatives from the worlds of politics, business, academia, diplomacy, civil society and media. In 2021, Wilton Park celebrated its 75th Anniversary.

History

Wilton Park was founded 12 January 1946 by Heinz Koeppler as part of an initiative inspired by Winston Churchill, who in 1944 called for Britain to help establish a democracy in Germany after the Second World War. It takes its name from the Wilton Park Estate, near

Beaconsfield Beaconsfield ( ) is a market town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Buckinghamshire, England, west-northwest of central London and south-southeast of Aylesbury. Three other towns are within : Gerrards Cross, Amersham and High W ...

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east ...

: between January 1946 and June 1948 more than 4,000 Germans attended re-education classes to discuss democratic processes with visiting political figures and intellectuals. In 1991 Wilton Park became an Executive Agency to 'give it more operational autonomy and a more secure financial footing' through the opportunity to raise more of its funding, and it now raises all its running costs. In 1968 HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited Wilton Park for its 100th conference. In 1980, Wilton Park was used as a venue for South African representatives to meet behind closed doors. In 1988, Wilton Park held its first overseas conference outside Helsinki to debate Europe in the 1990s. In 2006 Wilton Park marked its 60th anniversary with a private dinner and a speech delivered by

Lord Triesman David Maxim Triesman, Baron Triesman (born 30 October 1943) is a British politician, merchant banker and former trade union leader. Triesman is a Labour member of the House of Lords. Triesman previously sat as a Labour peer until resigning th ...

on future conflicts. In 2009 Richard Burge, a former head of the

Countryside Alliance The Countryside Alliance (CA) is a British organisation promoting issues relating to the countryside such as farming, rural services, small businesses and field sports, aiming to "Give Rural Britain a voice". History The Countryside Alliance ...

(1999–2003) and Director General of the

Zoological Society of London The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. It was founded in 1826. Since 1828, it has maintained the London Zoo, and since 1931 Whipsnade Park. History On 29 ...

(1995–1999), took over as Chief Executive. In 2010 Wilton Park held its first conference on

cyber security Computer security, cybersecurity (cyber security), or information technology security (IT security) is the protection of computer systems and networks from attack by malicious actors that may result in unauthorized information disclosure, th ...

after the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010 identified cyber attacks as a major threat to the United Kingdom. The Rt Hon Baroness

Gisela Stuart Gisela Stuart, Baroness Stuart of Edgbaston (''née'' Gschaider; born 26 November 1955) is a British-German politician and life peer who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Edgbaston from 1997 to 2017. A former member of the Lab ...

was appointed Chair of Wilton Park in October 2018. Tom Cargill has been the Chief Executive of Wilton Park since January 2021.

Wilton Park Dialogues

Wilton Park organises specifically tailored events on key global issues. Events are typically in person, but can be virtual or hybrid also. During COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21, Wilton Park facilitated over 100 virtual dialogues. While Wilton Park dialogues are traditionally hosted at

, events can take place at different venues and are increasingly being held internationally outside of the UK. Wilton Park has hosted conferences in countries including Slovenia, Sweden, Serbia, Switzerland, USA, Finland, Uganda, Malaysia, Czech Republic, Japan, Brazil, Germany, Norway and more. Meetings provide a neutral environment where conflicting views can be expressed and debated openly and calmly, allowing acceptable compromise and resolution to be achieved. It encourages innovation in global thinking by provoking lively debate and promoting inclusivity among the policy makers and opinion formers. Discussions are non-attributable, held under the Wilton Park Protocol, to encourage frank exchanges and open dialogue.Wilton Park
/ref> Wilton Park's policy priorities include: * Conflict prevention, resolution and state building * Defence and security * Global economy * Global health * Human rights, good governance and faith * Multilateral institutions, key countries and regions * Sustainable development and the environment

References

External links

Wilton Park
{{Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Wilton Park 1946 establishments in England