The most important security policy forum

The Munich Security Conference (MSC) takes place each year in the capital of the German state of Bavaria. The conference is attended by high-ranking representatives of politics, business, academia and civil society, who come to Germany from all over the world – despite the fact that it is not hosted by the German government, but is in fact a private event. We answer key questions about the MSC. 

What is the Munich Security Conference? 

The MSC is the world’s most important informal forum for discussing questions of security policy. It is also the largest conference of its kind. Heads of state, government ministers, decision-makers and experts from the fields of research and industry join NGOs in discussing foreign and security policy challenges. The MSC is also a platform for diplomatic initiatives and private meetings, providing an opportunity to talk about the most pressing security concerns. More than 200 side events are associated with the MSC; these are organised in cooperation with NGOs such as Transparency International, Greenpeace or Amnesty International.  

What are the objectives of the MSC? 

“The MSC’s objective is to build trust and to contribute to the peaceful resolution of conflicts,” is how the conference itself describes its mission. To this end, it promotes dialogue, where dialogue would not otherwise be possible, by enabling officials to engage in informal exchange. It wishes to provide a platform for ideas, new intellectual approaches and initiatives. Each year, more than “450 high-profile and senior decision-makers as well as thought-leaders from around the world” come to Munich for this purpose. The MSC embraces a comprehensive definition of security that also has an economic, environmental and human dimension.  

Who organises the MSC?  

The MSC is privately organised and hosted by the Munich Security Conference Foundation. It was established in December 2018 to lastingly ensure the MSC’s independence. In the meantime, not only the German government but also the Bavarian state government, the Robert Bosch Foundation and EnBW AG have been amongst those that have donated money to the foundation. 

Who is the chairman of the Munich Security Conference? 

The German diplomat Wolfgang Ischinger has been chairman of the Munich Security Conference Foundation since February 2025. He already chaired the conference from 2008 to 2022. In future, Jens Stoltenberg from Norway will take over at the helm of the MSC. The chairman designate was the secretary general of NATO from 2014 to 2024. He is considered one of the highest-profile international diplomats and a staunch advocate of transatlantic cooperation. He is currently Norway’s finance minister and will take up his honorary position at the helm of the Munich Security Conference once his term of office in the Norwegian government ends. Until then, Wolfgang Ischinger, being president of the MSC Foundation Council, will remain the MSC’s chairman.

Are special MSC conferences held? 

Besides the meeting in Munich, the MSC regularly organises special events on specific topics and regions. In 2023, for example, it hosted the Munich Leaders Meetings in Nairobi and Tokyo. The Munich Young Leaders attend a joint conference with the MSC in Munich. In Germany, a series of events entitled “Zeitenwende on tour” provides an opportunity for German security policy to be discussed in citizens’ forums. 

Why is the Chatham House Rule important? 

Most MSC events are public or held under the Chatham House Rule. Named after the former Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, the rule was first defined in 1927 and stipulates that information from discussions can be used without identifying who it came from or who took part in the discussions. The aim of the rule is to be able to publicly use as much information as possible that otherwise might not have been disclosed.