Münster – City of the Peace of Westphalia

24 October 1648 is officially the day on which the Peace of Westphalia was signed. For five years, the European powers had been negotiating in Münster and Osnabrück to bring the Thirty Years' War in Europe to an end. The great event was subsequently celebrated with state ceremonies and festivities until the spring of 1649 - and Münster is still inextricably linked to this event today as the city of the Peace of Westphalia.

Responsibility for the present and future

With the event series "Münster 1648: Dialogues on Peace", the city therefore refers to the important negotiations year after year. In this way, Münster uses its history to take responsibility for the present and future - for example, when it comes to developing new procedures and instruments for today's trouble spots in order to help prevent or resolve conflicts and secure peace.

Discussions, concerts and events

Every year, "Münster 1648: Dialogues on Peace" focuses on a different theme and makes topical references to current and future issues. Past years have focussed on topics such as "Conflict regions in Europe", "Human rights" and "Religion and peace".

Panel discussions, student academies, concerts and events often provide a suitable framework for the presentation of the International Peace of Westphalia Award. This also includes the live broadcast of the award ceremony in public spaces in order to maximise participation in the award ceremony and offer award winners direct access to urban society.