Peter Volten Obituary, Peter Volten worked for the Dutch Ministry of Defense from the middle of the seventies until the end of the eighties. Prior to that, he earned a doctorate degree from the VU Amsterdam and spent some time as a visiting scholar at Stanford University. Peter relocated to New York in 1989, only a few short months before the fall of the Berlin Wall, to take a position as the research director at the Institute for EastWest Studies. Here, he carried out work that was groundbreaking and created links with academics, members of civil society, and policymakers from nations in Central and Eastern Europe that were in the process of transformation.
Peter was a stalwart proponent of European unification and strong transatlantic relations, and he made a contribution to the peace and security in Europe by reaching out to those who had been subjected to authoritarian rule. A mission that continues to be more important than ever in the present day. Peter established a local chapter of the Institute for East-West Studies in the Netherlands not long after his return to the Netherlands in 1993. He took the initiative to get involved with nascent democracies in Central and Eastern Europe and did so enthusiastically. After being given the position of professor of international relations at the University of Groningen in the year 1994, he demonstrated foresight by founding the Centre for European Security Studies (CESS).
Peter served as the director of CESS from the year it was established until 2005. After that, he took a step back and became the head of the board of directors. CESS was able to establish up training and research programs all the way from the Balkans to Turkey and from central Europe to central Asia as a direct result of his unlimited energy and extensive international network. Peter has a special place in his heart for the democratic advancement of the countries of Romania, where he was awarded the title of Commander, and Ukraine, where he visited frequently for the purpose of teaching. Peter Volten placed a significant emphasis on addressing concerns over European security and expanding democratic participation in the administration of security policy in his work.
His initiative and vision both serve as the basis of CESS and serve as a source of motivation for us to carry on the mission that he has outlined for us. Both the employees and board members of CESS will miss Peter tremendously.