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Activity Report of the ICGS Since its Creation, June 2001

Training Courses

Since its creation, the I.C.G.S. has organized 10 training courses in geopolitics. These courses in geopolitics, addressing the areas of geostrategy, disinformation, economic warfare and religious conflicts – to name only the general themes, have been attended by nearly 200 participants of diverse nationalities, coming from various professional backgrounds (consultants, international officials, university students, business leaders, etc.). The Centre organized two types of seminars in geopolitics and geoeconomics.

The objective of the courses in geopolitics, entitled "Introduction to the Geopolitical Analysis of International Relations", was to present a technique for understanding international events according to the geopolitical method. This multidimensional analysis permitted the development of the participants' analytical capacity, thus preparing them to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex international environment.

The objective of the courses, entitled "Introduction to Geoeconomics and Competitive Intelligence", was to introduce the basic concepts of geoeconomics and analyse the influence of information strategies on economic competition in the international system.
Summer course in geopolitics: I.C.G.S. organized a summer course in geopolitics in July 2005 and 2006. This course, entitled “Geopolitical Analysis of International Relations” represented 50 hours of lectures, given by leading experts in the in the field of geopolitics and geostrategy.
International Symposium

Along with these training courses, the I.C.G.S. has organised three international symposiums in Geneva and has taken part in the organisation of a geopolitical colloquium in Hungary.
On June 14, 2002, the I.C.G.S. organised its first one-day international colloquium, entitled "Geopolitics, religions and civilisations – Which prospects for the 21st Century ?". The primary objective of this event, which was held in Geneva, was to examine the role of the religious and "civilisational" factor in modern international relations. It sought, moreover, to demonstrate the interest and the pertinence of geopolitical analysis in a world confronted by rapid and profound changes.
The I.C.G.S. organised its second international colloquium, entitled "Which geopolitical prospects for Europe ?", in Geneva on Friday, June 13, 2003. The objective of this colloquium was to examine the geopolitical and strategic challenges that the European continent will have to face over the course of the new century.

The I.C.G.S. organised its third international symposium, entitled "The Geopolitical Stakes of Natural Resources", on April 30, 2004, in Geneva. The primary objective of this colloquium was to examine the role of geopolitical rivalries whose goals are to control natural resources, without neglecting to analyze the impact of these rivalries on international stability.
For the organisation of these two symposiums, the I.C.G.S. received the financial support of the "Loterie Suisse Romande".
The success of these three colloquia results from the fact that more than 240 people, among them numerous diplomats and international officials, attended these three events. The positive responses and numerous congratulatory remarks suggested the later publication of the presenters’ texts in the form of books.

The I.C.G.S., in collaboration with the French Institute of Budapest and the Geopolitical Council of Hungary, organised the first international geopolitics colloquium on May 27, 2004, in Hungary. The primary objective of this colloquium was to examine the geopolitical prospects for Central and South Eastern Europe in light of the enlarged European Union. This international meeting, attended by 100 people representing political, economic and academic circles, met with clear success.

Publications

The proceedings of the international colloquium of June 14, 2002, entitled "Geopolitics, religions and civilsations – Which prospects for the 21st century ?", were published in March 2003 by the publishing house "L’Age d’Homme". This book was presented at the "Salon du Livre" in Paris and in Geneva, and aroused very positive reactions.

The proceedings of the international colloquium of June 13, 2003, entitled "Which Geopolitical Prospects for Europe ?", were published in March 2004 by the publishing house "L’Age d’Homme". This book was presented at the "Salon du Livre" in Paris and in Geneva, and also aroused very positive reactions.

Mr. Gyula Csurgai, Director of the Centre, in collaboration with Mrs. Anne Delaite-Vennen, a journalist at "Suisse Romande" television, produced a geopolitics manual addressing journalists’ needs. This work was published by the "Centre Romand de Formation des Journalistes de Lausanne".

Other Activities

Mr. Gyula Csurgai (Director of the I.C.G.S.) gave a lecture addressing geopolitical analysis on November 26, 2002, at the "Centre Romand de Formation des journalistes (CRFJ)" in Lausanne.
The activities of the I.C.G.S. have been presented by different media in Switzerland and in France. These include participation in a radio programme on the theme "Geopolitics" organised by "Radio Cite" on June 7, 2002, as well as another programme entitled "Geopolitical and Human Stakes of September 11", broadcast on "Espace 2" on September 11, 2002. At the "Salon du Livre de Genève" in 2003, the Center participated in a debate addressing the issue of manipulation of information in wars, that the daily newspaper "Le Temps" organised for this occasion. The different activities of the Centre were presented regularly in the Swiss Military Review (Revue Militaire Suisse).

In addition, the Centre has participated in an international research project directed by the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI). In the framework of this research, Mr. Csurgai’s study entitled "Geopolitical Aspects of the Minority Question in Central and South Eastern Europe" was published in the collective work "Minority Governance in Europe", LGI Books, Budapest, in December 2002.
Mr. Csurgai’s article entitled "Geopolitics, Geoeconomics and Competitive Intelligence" was published in the geopolitical review "GeoFocus" directed by the Geopolitics Council of Budapest, in Hungary.
In February, the Centre was invited to a conference / discussion session by the FNAC library in Geneva. At this occasion the book “Which Geopolitical Prospects for Europe ?” was presented as well.

I.C.G.S. was invited to attend the international seminars organized by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in September 2004 and 2005 in San Remo Italy, on the major challenges that affect the implementation of international humanitarian law in different geopolitical configurations. Mme Yolande Camporini, responsible for external relations of the Centre, contributed to the San Remo conference by presenting a paper on the usefulness of geopolitical analysis to understand the influence of the different factors impacting humanitarian situations.
The Centre organized a seminar for the I.C.R.C in May 2005. This seminar, entitled “Geopolitics and Geoeconomics, Relevant Theories for a Prospective Analysis” was hold in the Trainig Centre of I.C.R.C in Versoix, Switzerland.