- Aerial photograph of the federal city towards the South: in the foreground city centre and castle, upstream the federal quarter, in the background the Siebengebirge.
- Citizens of Bonn watch the Bonn-Berlin decision live on the market place
A city in upheaval
Bonn retained important state functions even after the government moved to Berlin. More than 20 federal authorities and numerous national, but also international organisations have established themselves here. In 1996 Bonn became the German UNO city – now 15 institutions of the United Nations are at home here. The city has made a name for itself as the venue of several world climate summits. Bonn becomes a city of international cooperation, but also a city of science and research and future-oriented industries. Deutsche Telekom and Deutsche Post World Net whose Post-Tower has become the new landmark of the city, have their group headquarters here. The city has increasingly established itself as a stage for international dialogue and conferences of worldwide significance due to the World Conference Center Bonn, the core of which is formed by the former Plenarsaal (plenar hall). Bonn has subsequently gained renown from the important tour operators and has been included within millions of travel brochures due to its top quality range of cultural offers in the field of music – Ludwig van Beethoven was born here in 1770 – and the visual arts. At the turn of the millennium Bonn had made great progress in its structural change and was looking optimistically into the future.
Data and facts:
1994:
The Berlin-Bonn act stipulates a "fair division of labour" between the federal city of Bonn and the federal capital of Berlin. The compensation agreement secured Bonn the overall sum of DM 2.8 billion for the process of structural change.
1995:
Three independent post subsidiaries install their group headquarters in Bonn.
1996:
Bonn becomes a UNO city, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and the permanent secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) moved to the Rhine. The information office of the UNO opens its gates.
1998:
The International Paralympics Committee (IPC) moves into its offices in Bonn.
1999:
Start of the transfer of the Bundestag and parts of the federal government from Bonn to Berlin and of federal authorities from Berlin and Frankfurt to Bonn. The permanent convention of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) moves its headquarters to Bonn.
2000:
Start of new construction of the headquarters of the Deutsche Post World Net (Post-Tower).
2001:
A department of the WHO (European Regional Office, European Centre for Environment and Health) moves to Bonn.
2002:
The International Centre for Technical and Vocational Training (UNESCO-UNEVOC) moves to Bonn.
2004:
On 21 May the “Road of democracy” will be opened with 18 signposted stations at locations of historical significance in the former government district. In 2004 the United Nations Secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction / Platform for the Promotion of Early Warning (ISDR-PPEW) as well as the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) started working in Bonn. Additional institutions follow.
2006:
The high-rise building which used to house the offices of members of parliament, known as “Langer Eugen” (Long Eugen) is officially handed over to UN secretary general Kofi Anan as the new official office of the United Nations in Bonn and is subsequently called the UN-Campus.
2007:
At the end of August the UN-Water Cecade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC) celebrates its opening ceremony in the UN-Campus. Now there are 15 UN organisations on the banks of the Rhine.
