4. 7. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
The Centre for European Perspective, the Bled Strategic Forum and the MUN Slovenia Club kindly invite you to a panel discussion in the framework of the 2018 edition of the MUNSC Salient youth conference: “Euro-Atlantic Integration in the Western Balkans: Not without its Alternatives?” on Tuesday, 10 July 2018, 17.15 – 18.45 at the Grand Hall of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana.
Panel discussion is organised by the MUN Slovenia Club (MUNSC), the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) and the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) as part of the 2018 edition of the MUNSC Salient youth conference.
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Speakers:
Ambassador Paolo Trichilo, Ambassador of the Republic of Italy in Slovenia
Mr Peter Grk, National Coordinator for the Western Balkans, BSF Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia
Ms Jelka Klemenc, DCAF Slovenia
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After more than two decades of attempts on the part of the European Union to help stabilise the Western Balkans and gradually integrate it into its political and economic community the results are mixed. While there is no denying the fact that some immense steps have been made, a list of systemic challenges seems to have remained more or less unchanged over the years.
What has changed, however, is the wider geopolitical context in which the Western Balkans policy complex is embedded. Across a range of issue areas relations between the East and the West have deteriorated, with Cold War analogies featuring ever more frequently both in lay and expert deliberations. Given the importance of stability and prosperity in the Western Balkans for the security of the wider European continent, it can hardly be expected that the region will remain unaffected by wider power struggles.
In this context the concluding remarks of the new EU strategy for the Western Balkans, recently adopted by the European Commission, come across as especially revealing:
“Most fundamentally, leaders in the region must leave no doubt as to their strategic orientation and commitment. It is they that ultimately must assume responsibility for making this historical opportunity a reality.” (European Commission 2018)
Yet what if, at least from the perspective of some regional stakeholders, the ‘historical opportunity’ of further Euro-Atlantic integration is not without its alternatives?
This will be the guiding question for a panel discussion that is set to proceed in two parts. The first part will focus on the potential existence of alternatives to Euro-Atlantic integration in the Western Balkans and ways to accommodate them into our current deliberations about the region. In the second part the discussion will shift towards the implications that potential alternatives could hold for future EU policies concerning this region, both at the political level as well as in the day-to-day activities of people working on the ground.
RSVP: [email protected] by Monday, 9 July 2018
Kindly invited!
4. 7. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
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.
19. 6. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
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.
12. 5. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR, Youth
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.
12. 5. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, Danube, PR, Youth
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.
11. 5. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR, Youth
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.
