International Police Association Sezione Svizzera

INFORMATIONS AND FORMATIONS CENTRE

Every year around 2500 participants, mostly police officers, take advantage of the facilities and conferences offered by Gimborn. Most conferences are IPA seminars, organised in close co-operation with the international and national bodies of IPA, lasting about a week.

The annual programme comprises regularly of about 15 seminars in non-German languages with or without simultaneous translation. About 35% of participants at IPA seminars come from countries other than Germany.

A small permanent team of about 12 people, full and part-time, are responsible for the planning of the seminars, selection of topics and speakers, administration and looking after Gimborn.
 
The IBZ is not only a conference centre for police officers but has been created by police officers. At the end of the sixties, a considerable number of police officers worked to restore the old building and adapt the rooms according to the needs of a modern conference centre. IPA Branches and Sections have sponsored rooms and are responsible for selecting the financing the furniture and décor of the rooms.

The centre is completely responsible for its own administration and finance, with a membership in excess Of 400 members including bodies of the IPA, local authorities and individual members from 26 countries worldwide.

The centre offers accommodation for 68 people in 16 single bedrooms,17 bedrooms and 5 three bedrooms, all of them with private bath (shower and WC) and telephone, located in the castle itself.

Gimborn offers four fully equipped conference rooms as well as a television room, bar and wine tavern. Meals are served in the adjacent Schlosshotel. Close to Gimborn there is an extensive network of hiking trails leading through nature reserves as well as sports facilities.

 The IBZ is situated approximately 30 miles east of Cologne, in the centre of Western Germany.

 Further information can be obtained by visiting Gimborn's internet site: www.ibz-gimborn.de