Wilton Park

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Wilton Park is an executive agency of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office providing a global forum for strategic discussion. It organises over 50 events a year in the UK and overseas, bringing together leading representatives from the worlds of politics, business, academia, diplomacy, civil society and media. Events focus on issues of international security, prosperity and justice.

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 promote inclusivity among the policy makers and opinion formers. Discussions are non-attributable to encourage frank exchanges and open dialogue.[1]

History

Wilton Park began on 12 January 1946 as part of an initiative inspired by Sir Winston Churchill, who in 1944 called for Britain to help establish a democracy in Germany after the second world war.[2] It takes its name from Wilton Park Estate, near Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, which was used as an interrogation centre during World War II. Between January 1946 and June 1948 approx 4500 Germans were made to attend re-education classes there.[3]

Since 1951 it has been based at Wiston House in Sussex, the Wilton Park Estate remaining in other Government use, currently as the Defence School of Languages.[4]

Coordinates: 50°53′59″N 0°21′32″W / 50.89972°N 0.35889°W / 50.89972; -0.35889

References

  1. ↑ Wilton Park
  2. ↑ A brief history of Wilton Park 
  3. ↑ Arthur Lee Smith. The war for the German mind: re-educating Hitler's soldiers. p. 50. 
  4. ↑ Subterranea Britannica: Wilton Park

External links


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