Dear LCN 2003 Attendees:

On behalf of the Local Arrangements Committee, I am pleased to welcome you to the Bonn / Koenigswinter area. National and international politics have formed an integral part of everday life in Bonn, now a Federal City, for more than fifty years. Since the German Bundestag moved its seat and parts of the government to Berlin in 1999, Bonn has attracted a number of international organizations, especially United Nations bodies. Some major corporations, e.g., Deutsche Telekom and Deutsche Post, relocated their headquarters to Bonn.

With a tradition going back almost 200 years, a student body numbering 38,000 and an excellent reputation at home and abroad, Bonn is one of the leading universities in Germany. Bonn is a research-oriented university that operates internationally while remaining conscious of its traditions. For many years, the University of Bonn has been the hub of a pulsating and expanding science region: the Rhineland, where hard work and a high quality of life go together in equal measure.

LCN 2003 is held in the often-visited city of Koenigswinter, just south-east of Bonn. Like hardly any other city in the region, it attracts due to its picturesque atmosphere displaying the harmony between Rhine Valley and "Siebengebirge". The Siebengebirge (translated directly: seven mountains) originally means "Siefengebirge", which is meant to be a "mountainous region with lots of valleys". More than 200 kilometres of well-marked hiking trails lead through this low mountain range of volcanic origin. The Siebengebirge counts more than 40 hills and mountains offering wonderful views of the Rhine Valley and the surrounding woods. Numerous barbecue huts and inns invite hikers to stay for a while.

Welcome to LCN 2003, welcome to the city of Koenigswinter with its pulsating life in the old town and one of the most beautiful promenades of the river Rhine !

Peter Martini
University of Bonn, Dept. of Computer Science IV

Local Arrangements Chair, LCN 2003