BSF at the Third Regional Youth Forum in Novi Sad

BSF at the Third Regional Youth Forum in Novi Sad

The Third Regional Youth Forum took place in Novi Sad, Serbia last weekend (29 June – 1 July). The event gathered around 200 young opinionated leaders, between 18 and 35 years old, with a proven record of making an impact in their communities and offered them a place for knowledge sharing and dialogue through networking and a series of panel discussions. A delegation of the Bled Strategic Forum and Young Bled Strategic Forum attended the event as an introduction into a long-term cooperation between the institutions.

The participants at the opening ceremony were greeted by RYCO Secretary General Mr Đuro Blanuša who said that the Forum is looking for the answer to the question how to bring more Europe in the region and how to make a region more present in Europe. He underlined that the Forum’s participants are the future ambassadors of change and those who will create the future that we all want to see. During the opening ceremony, the participants were greeted by Serbian Prime Minister Ms Ana Brnabić who said that the youth of the region should put a pressure on the leaders and make them politically smarter and more active as this will bring “big things” for the region.

The Forum was attended by the mayors of Novi Sad and Tirana, Mr Miloš Vučević and Mr Erion Veliaj. The Mayor of Tirana said that the EU has done a lot for the region because it enabled movement, cooperation and made possible that Serbians and Albanians are today at the same event discussing a bright future. He argued that we need more Europe in the region because of this fact.

The Regional Youth Forum is organized by the European Movement in Serbia – Local Branch Novi Sad, the European Fund for the Balkans, the Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence, and in partnership with the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) – ORF Promotion of EU Integration. Indispensable support was provided by the Provincial Government of Vojvodina, the City of Novi Sad and the Regional Cooperation Council.

The Forum’s conclusions will be presented at the upcoming London Summit in London within the Berlin Process, at the 8th edition of the Belgrade Security Forum, and the 2018 Young Bled Strategic Forum.

New synergy between Bled Strategic Forum and MOS

New synergy between Bled Strategic Forum and MOS

Cooperation between the Bled Strategic Forum 2018 – a leading international conference in Central and South-Eastern Europe – and the 51th MOS – one of the largest and most important trade fair events in Slovenia and this part of Europe – was announced on 13th of June at the press conference in Celje.

Newly established synergy between two of the most important conferences in Slovenia was presented by Dr Gorazd Justinek, executive director of Centre for European Perspective, co-organizer of Bled Strategic Forum 2018.

Bled Strategic Forum, which will take place between 10th and 11th of September 2018, brings together a diverse set of participants, including heads of state and government, ministers, diplomats, businesspeople, scholars and experts, youth, and media from around the world. With over 1000 participants (included 1 head of state, 2 heads of government, 16 foreign and 27 other ministers, 14 representatives of international organizations and 28 other high-level guests) from 66 countries, the 2017 Bled Strategic Forum was the biggest and most successful event in its history.

International Trade Fair MOS will take place right after Bled Strategic Forum, between 11 and 16 of September 2016. It is a business crossroads for innovations, development and the latest advances, providing superb opportunities to drive business forward and an opportunity to directly target customers. It is also a venue for showcasing new products and services, offering an insight into the main challenges that entrepreneurs and craftsmen have to face in everyday business environment.

Bled Strategic Forum and MOS recognize the synergies between the operations and missions of both international conferences and therefore plan to cooperate on the content preparations and discussions.

Together, we will enrich not only each other’s events, but Slovenian conference activities and recognisability in the world as well.

Young BSF: Special opportunity for youth leaders from Central Europe Initiative (CEI) countries

Young BSF: Special opportunity for youth leaders from Central Europe Initiative (CEI) countries

Due to our partnership with the Central European Initiative, we are able to offer travel grants to young leaders coming from following countries: Albania, Belarus, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine.

Successful applicants will have their accommodation and meals covered for the duration of the program.

Application are open until 27th of May 2018.

Read more about the application process here.

Young BSF: Special opportunity for youth leaders coming from Danube region countries

Young BSF: Special opportunity for youth leaders coming from Danube region countries

We are thankful to EU Strategy for Danube Region, who is covering travel grants for young leaders coming from the Danube region countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Ukraine.

Successful applicants will have their accommodation and meals covered for the duration of the program.

Application are open until 27th of May 2018.

Read more about the application process here.

Young BSF: Special opportunity for youth leaders from Eastern Partnership

Young BSF: Special opportunity for youth leaders from Eastern Partnership

Due to a newly gained partnership, we are able to offer additional travel grants to young leaders coming from countries of EU Eastern Partnership (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine). Participants from these countries will also be offered a specially tailored program continuing after the Young BSF, therefore they are expected to be available from 7th to 14th of September. Successful applicants will have their accommodation and meals covered for the duration of the program. Application have therefore been extended until 27th of May 2018.

Read more about the application process here.

CEP at the Eurasian Economic Summit

CEP at the Eurasian Economic Summit

Bled Strategic Forum, jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Centre for European Perspective, is a strategic partner of the Eurasian Economic Summit, organized by Marmara Group Foundation that takes place annually in Turkey.  The 21st Eurasian Economic Summit on 11-12 April 2018 brought together 41 countries which were represented by Presidents, Prime Ministers, Speakers of the Parliaments, Ministers, Members of the Parliaments, business people, academicians and religious leaders.

Bled Strategic Forum was represented by CEP’s Project Manager Sabina Carli, who participated in an interactive session “Academicians, politicians and religious leaders discuss the future with the young generation” with Prof. Dr. Ali BARDAKOĞLU, President of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Turkey (2003-2010), Archbishop BARTHOLOMEW, Ecumenical Patriarch of Istanbul, Mirko ŠAROVIĆ, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Yusuf ÇETİN, Patriarchal Vicar of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Istanbul, Isak HALEVA, Chief Rabbi of Turkey, Orhan ÇANLI, Syriac Catholic Deputy Patriarch of Turkey, Merdan BAYRAMDURDIYEV, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, Prof. Dr. Şener OKTİK, Head of Research and Technological Development of Şişecam Group, Sergiu CELAC, Ambassador – Honorary President of New Strategy Center Prince RADU, Prince of Romania, Ismail ALIJI, Foreign Policy Adviser of the President of Macedonia, Director of Political Research, Institute of Strategy and Development, Ardian HOXHA, Superintendent of the American School of Kosovo, Dr. Nikola GJORGON, Foreign Policy Adviser of the President of Macedonia and Karlis BUKOVSKIS, Deputy Director at the Latvian Institute of International Affairs. They discussed the role of science and technology in today’s and future life and agreed that all spheres of life are influenced by technology, yet all of them also need to get involved for sustainable future in which technology can play a very positive role if we use it smartly.

302 international and 761 domestic participants attended the 21st Eurasian Economic Summit. Former President of Turkey H.E. Abdullah Gül, Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Mehmet Şimşek, Minister of Economy H.E. Nihat Zeybekçi, former Deputy Prime Minister and MP H.E. Tuğrul Türkeş, Governor of Istanbul Hon. Vasip Şahin and Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Mevlut Uysal attended the summit that started with the opening speech of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey H.E. Binali Yıldırım, while international participants included presidents, foreign ministers and other ministers from across Europe and Asia.