5. 5. 2023 | Bled Strategic Forum, Young BSF
YOUNG BSF 2023 – Mitigating our Butterfly Effect
The Bled Strategic Framework is excited to announce the 12th edition of the Young Bled Strategic Forum, an interactive platform, capacity building and global network of young professionals that will be held late this summer from 25 August to 28 August 2023 at Ljubljana and Bled, Slovenia. The Young BSF encourages and supports the participation of young leaders, entrepreneurs, influencers, thinkers and social activists aged from 18 to 35 who will once more join forces, their creativity and ingenuity to discuss and actively propose solutions to the salient challenges and opportunities within our societies.
Young BSF 2023 was inspired by the work of Edward Norton Lorenz, who in his article ´Deterministic Nonperiodic Flow´ explained his discoveries which became known as “The Law of Sensitive Dependence on Initial Conditions”, also referred to as the butterfly effect. His mathematical discoveries were coined in the metaphor: “When a butterfly flutters its wings in one part of the world, it can eventually cause a hurricane in another”, and soon became an important reference in multiple fields. Applying the concept to our globalised and connected world associated through economic value chains, digital means and other networks, flutters in one part are truly felt on the other side of the globe. Our shared experience of the economic crisis, ecological devastation, wars and displacement, but also of pandemics such as Covid-19, further demonstrates how united our communities are, and teaches us important lessons in humility, solidarity and resilience-building. The title of the Young BSF 2023 – Mitigating our Butterfly Effect reflects the importance of actions by all stakeholders within our societies that carry a shared honour and duty to make decisive and responsible decisions in the long and short term, with effects on the local, national and global level.
Young participants will be engaged in capacity building and consultations, and cooperate in interactive workshops, round table discussions and other structured activities prepared in cooperation with expert speakers, partner organisations, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders. Young BSF 2023 will consist of online preparatory activities and the main event organised live at Ljubljana and Bled, followed by active participation of Young BSF participants within the Bled Strategic Forum organised from 28 August to 29 August 2023 at Bled, Slovenia. Interested participants can apply to the Young BSF by Friday May 25th 2023.
Who can apply?
- Field of profession: Accepting all students and young Accademia representatives, young employed professionals, NGO representatives and civil society members (active citizens on the local, national and international level), young members of public administration and governmental institutions, members of international organisations, social entrepreneurs, representatives of private sector and commerce and all other inspiring young future leaders.
- Age: Accepting applicants aged 18 to 35 years
- Geographical scope: The region, EU and globally (with accommodation and sustenance during the Young BSF and BSF for all selected participants, and travel grants discussed on each participant separately to allow equal opportunities for participation depending on available resources)
Ensuring equal opportunities to attend the Forum is of the utmost importance, enabling the participation of talented, inspiring individuals, regardless of their social background and ability to pay. The organisers are working closely with partners to provide all participants with accommodation, while a number of travel grants for candidates from various backgrounds and nationalities will be ensured. These grants may be awarded to selected participants on a case-by-case basis and only up to the amount assigned by the organisers, who will also ensure equal regional and expert representation.
The Young Bled Strategic Forum is co-organised by the Centre for European Perspective and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia. The programme activities are supported and organised in partnership withthe Interreg Danube Region Programme project co-funded by the European Union, the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) Priority Area 10 ´Institutional Capacity and Cooperation´ and the Central European Initiative.
For additional information regarding the programme activities, possibilities of cooperation and eligibility of travel costs please contact Mr Jernej Grahor, BSF Project Manager (responsible for Young Bled Strategic Forum) at [email protected] .
5. 5. 2023 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
The 18th Bled Strategic Forum international conference will take place between 28 and 29 August 2023 under the title ‘Solidarity for global security’.
Contemporary global uncertainty and insecurity are a product of multiple interconnected and interdepended crises. Ours is the age of polycrisis. From climate, food, and energy to the governance crisis, they all affect our security. These mutually reinforcing global crises require common responses based on solidarity. Alone and each for ourselves, we cannot find adequate solutions to ensure global security.
#BSF2023 will explore different ways of ensuring global security by working together.
As per its mission, BSF 2023 will bring 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. It will provide a platform for participants to openly discuss and contrast opinions and seek solutions for contemporary regional and global challenges
Additionally, the Forum will provide an excellent opportunity for tailored bilateral and multilateral meetings and networking with prominent regional and global actors from the spheres of diplomacy, policy, business, science, and innovation.
Prior to the BSF, Young BSF will take place between 25 and 27 August in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
For more information visit the Bled Strategic Forum website.
4. 5. 2023 | Bled Strategic Forum, POTC, PR
Last week, from the 24th to the 26 of April, Jable Castle welcomed 33 participants from 25 countries in what was the first training of its kind on the topic of the emerging concept of “climate security”. 20+ participants were previously part of the 12th International Africa Day Conference in a joint venture between the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and POTC/Centre for European Perspective.
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According to the definition of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union »climate security« refers to the potential impacts of climate change on peace and security across the globe, particularly for the poorest and most vulnerable populations. It encompasses various risk management strategies such as mitigation, adaptation, resilience building, food and nutrition security, disaster risk reduction, conflict prevention and sustainable development. It also includes the integration of a security perspective within these processes and inclusive participation in order to alleviate the destabilising impacts of climate change on achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs).
With this in mind, and the known future impact of climate change on peace operations themselves, POTC set out to develop one of the first trainings of this kind in Europe. This is in order to better prepare decision-makers, experts, and everyone else involved with peace operations for the impending difficulties that peace operations, governments, and international organisations will have to face in the coming decades.
The training was introductory and covered all the basics associated with climate change and peace operations with topics ranging from the 9 Planetary Boundaries, Climate Change, the Environment and Security, the International Legal Framework regarding Climate Change, Water Security as an Integral Part of Climate Security, Climate Mainstreaming in the EU CSDP Context, Energy Security, CC and Human Rights, Climate Justice and Collective vs Individual Action on Climate Change. This was made possible with the help of 9 Slovenian and foreign expert contributors who made sure that the participants received all the relevant knowledge that will help them make the right decisions when it comes to climate security. The training is intended to be developed even further and organised once again in 2024.
The POTC Team would like to thank everyone that attended the training, the expert contributors and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs with special thanks to State Secretary Samuel Žbogar for presenting the participants with Course Certificates.
Below you can view some of the training highlights:
Flickr Album (Photo: Marko Arandjelović)
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6. 3. 2023 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR, Young BSF
‘Provocation, Uncertainty, Turbulence: Lighthouse in The Tempest?‘ was the main title of the 2023 Raisina Dialogue, the leading geopolitical and geoeconomic conference in India and the South Asian Region, held in New Delhi (India) between 2 and 4 March 2023.
The Bled Strategic Forum organising team from the Centre for European Perspective and Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs was there listening to engaging discussions, meeting new international partners and colleagues, and experiencing how it is to attend the conference rather than organise it, thus also learning what could be done to improve BSF. Additionally, BSF co-hosted a discussion on the reforms needed for our multilateral system. In its endeavour to become a yearly platform for addressing main contemporary challenges, BSF works with like-minded international partners. Both conferences share its mission of creating open spaces for discussion and action on salient and most pressing challenges within our societies. The participation of the BSF team in the activities of the Raisina Dialogue represents a valued partnership and continuation of cooperation, knowledge exchange and joint activities organisation.
On March 4th 2023, the Raisina Dialogue held a panel discussion in partnership with the Bled Strategic Forum under the title ‘Peace in Pieces: New Pathways for a UN that works‘, focusing on reforms within the international community that have an opportunity to give new momentum to the multilateral systems of today and tomorrow. The following speakers participated in the discussion:
- E. Ararat Mirzoyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Armenia)
- E. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister for Information (Ghana)
- E. Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs (Slovenia)
- E. Ivan Korčok, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs (Slovak Republic)
- E. Lakshmi Puri, Former Assistant Secretary-General to United Nations and Former Ambassador (India).
The panel discussion was moderated by Mr Peter Grk, Secretary-General of the Bled Strategic Forum.
As stated by H.E. Ivan Korčok in reference to the discussion title: “all pieces are in place, but still, the war is happening. /…/ One piece is missing, namely responsible behaviour which respects the very rules (that create or represent a foundation of the international system)”. H. E. Tanja Fajon outlined that we (societies) are today more connected than ever before but, at the same time, more fragmented than ever. H.E. presented the continuous efforts of the Republic of Slovenia in the process of candidacy for non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council. Slovenia strongly supports multilateralism and, as a small country in the international community, understands the importance of being an honest broker, being capable of listening and building bridges. H.E. called upon the shared responsibility of politicians, business (wo)men, civil society, academia (and other stakeholders) to work together, to have a full picture of activities around the world and try to address all these big global challenges. The latter are not challenges of one small country or one big continent but are global challenges for all of us.
Raisina Dialogue, hosted by the Observer Research Foundation and the Ministry of External Affairs of India, is an international forum of cross-sectorial cooperation that connects representatives of global initiatives, decision-makers, academia, private sector and business, non-governmental organisations and civil society, young leaders and all interested stakeholders. The dynamic conference is interwoven with additional events, discussions and conferences, with a high degree of support for young people in the form of the Raisina Young Fellows programme. The challenges creating a tempest and disruption within the international community, with challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and breaches of international law, have inspired the theme of the conference edition, focusing on cooperation, creativity and joint approach, powering lighthouses that identify and lead opportunities within our societies.
The Raisina Dialogue, through its comprehensive and progressive thematical focus, inclusive partnership and delegate participation (connecting representatives from all parts of the globe), and dynamically engaging cooperation formats, facilitated a unique generator for discussion, networking and shared work that recognises and supports each individual or organisation to be a beacon of progress at the local, national and international level.
The Bled Strategic Forum team returns to Slovenia with newly established networks, partnerships and good practices that will be invested in the preparation of the upcoming 18th edition of the BSF and 12th edition of the Young BSF.
16. 2. 2023 | Bled Strategic Forum, POTC, PR
Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) is organising its newest pilot training course titled »Climate Change, Peace and Security«, which will take place back-to-back with the 12th Africa Day International Conference between 24-26 of April in Slovenia.
Climate change is a security issue and a global threat multiplier. While climate change does not directly cause violent conflict, its impacts can exacerbate its drivers. Climate change can undermine livelihoods, increase mass migration, and weaken the governance and stability of states, particularly conflict-affected fragile states and territories. The European Union (EU), NATO and the UN have actively been calling for peace operations to assess climate risks and establish management strategies that incorporate these risks. With this in mind, POTC developed a comprehensive training programme that covers different aspects of the environmental peacebuilding, climate and security nexus at an introductory level. After its successful completion, the participants will be able to understand and analyse climate-related security risks and be better prepared to contribute to crisis prevention and sustaining peace.
The enrollment procedure is now open, so we encourage everyone interested to apply here by the 24th of March, 2023.
Due to the visa obtainment process, participants from African countries should apply by February 26th, 2023.
Additional information:
- The training is free of charge.
- Organisers do not cover travel and accommodation costs. However, we will provide support and recommendations.
- The working language is English.
- The organisers will cover coffee/tea breaks and lunch.
- Participants will be notified about the selection no later than March 31st, 2023.
- Location of the training: Jable Castle, Grajska Cesta 1, Mengeš, Slovenia.
The draft agenda of the training course can be viewed here.
Contact [email protected] for any additional questions you might have.
For more information about the 12th Africa Day International Conference, please view the following link: 12th Africa Days International Conference
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25. 8. 2022 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR, Young BSF, Youth
11th edition of the Young Bled Strategic Forum, held between 26 and 28 August entitled ‘Democracy fit for the new age’, will focus on the discussions regarding challenges our democracies face in response to the transformation of our societies.
Thirty-six young people from 20 different countries participating in this year’s conference will be joined by 20 speakers, panellists and workshop facilitators.
As every year, the conference has a particular leitmotif – this time it is covered by the title ‘Democracy fit for the new age’. Democracy is not a static term or a form of governance – it evolves to correspond with the transformations of our societies, our understanding of what it means to be democratic, and in response to the changing environments. There has been no shortage of societal disruption in recent years – from the Covid-19 pandemic, the return of war in Europe, and pervasive technological developments to a growing polarisation within our societies.
Are our democracies catching up with these changes? Are we capable of providing answers to the challenges we are facing within our current systems of governance? Are they fit for the new age? These are just some of the questions that the participants will address through the prism of four content pillars, which will focus on 1) the search for joint international solutions to international challenges (transnational cooperation), 2) prosperity through diversity, 3) the advantages and disadvantages of democracies; and 4) the role of the media and disinformation.
The three-day conference will begin on Friday, 26 August with the visit of the National Assembly of the Republic where the President of the National Assembly, mag. Urška Klakočar Zupančič will open Young BSF 2022 and join an interactive discussion on the topic of challenges and opportunities of democracies, with speakers Ms Katja Geršak, Executive Director of Centre for European Perspective, Ms Lucija Karnelutti, EU UN Youth Delegate 2022/23 and Ms Dolores Kores, Director Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Youth.
The following two days will explore democracies through the prism of four thematic pillars: I) Media literacy and information society; II) Prosperity through diversity; III) Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?; IV): Joint solutions for joint challenges; with participants engaging in discussions and a diverse evening programme.
Young BSF is made possible with the contribution of the Interreg ADRION Programme and the EUSAIR Facility point, supported by the European Union and cooperating within the European Union Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian region; Danube Transnational Programme and Priority Area 10 ´Institutional capacity and cooperation´ Supported by the European Union, that are engaged within the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region; Central European Initiative (CEI) and Triglav d.d.
