A glimpse behind the scenes of the archaeology congress AIAC 2018: A successful cooperation between Cologne and Bonn

The opening of the 19th International Congress of Classical Archaeology (AIAC) took place in the Gürzenich. For the AIAC, 1350 delegates from 44 nations visited two cities, rich in history: Cologne and Bonn. Organised jointly, the congress became a success story for scientific events, realising the cooperative potential between two of the most renowned archaeology institutes in the region. Get an impression of the “World Archeology Congress 2018” and cultural heritage sites such as the Cologne Cathedral excavations: Our gallery below shows photos as well as the CIM-TV Documentary (available in German only).

“Cologne is the only metropolis that can look back on a history of 2,000 years”, Mayor Henriette Reker welcomes the participants in “Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium”. Isabel Pfeiffer, Minister of Culture and Science of North Rhine Westphalia, expresses her delight at hosting the first AIAC in Germany since 1988 with good humour: “From an archaeologist’s point of view, 30 years is not such a long time.”

An evening event with an exclusive visit to the cathedral’s ancient Roman excavations makes a fitting kick-off. And the cathedral is packed for an organ concert by none other than its own organist Prof. Dr. Winfried Bönig. This is followed by a reception at the Roman-German Museum, right next to the cathedral.

The thematic agenda of the congress includes 900 lectures, 114 posters, and six workshops at Bonn University – plus six excursions from Aachen to Xanten, as well as ten guided city and four museum tours in Cologne and Bonn.

Archaeology and Economy in the Ancient world  - “The congress theme is a perfect match for our region with its rich history, “ says a delighted Christian Woronka, Head of Cologne Convention Bureau. “The cooperation between Bonn and Cologne worked really well”, says a happy Diana Wozniok, Congress Manager of Cologne University. “Remarkably, it revealed some profound differences between the two cities, which complement each other perfectly: While Cologne is a stimulating force, Bonn ensured that we stay focused and keep our eyes on the goal.”

She has been deeply impressed by how well the institutes worked together. With their attentiveness and great team spirit, the 98 student assistants were pivotal to the success of the congress.

Cologne and the region are home to one of the leading science landscapes in Europe. You are interested in events with a focus on scientific exchange? Read our report on the 2. DLR Conference on Climate Change. Further, we suggest reading our interview with Dr. Patrick Honecker, Director of Communications and Marketing at the University of Cologne, on the science location and what makes the exchange work on the banks of the Rhine.