CERN and the future of particle physics

With the start-up of the Large Hadron Collider, particle physics is entering into an exciting period of research and discovery with high prospects for exciting advances in our understanding of Nature. The results from the initial running at the LHC will provide the directions for the future of particle physics and as host to the LHC, CERN is in a unique position to play a key role in the future course of particle physics. Future major facilities in particle physics require the formation of collaborations on a global scale, and to this end organisational structures are being put in place to oversee such extended endeavours. This paper reviews the characteristic features of particle physics and analyses the routes to be taken for the future advancement of the field.