11. 1. 2022 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR, Young BSF
We invite you to read the recently released BSF 2021 Conference Report with an overview of the events, discussions, and issues tackled at the Bled Strategic Forum 2021 and Young Bled Strategic Forum 2021.
The 16th Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) took place on 1 and 2 September 2021 in Bled, Slovenia. The focus of the two-day event was the future of Europe with a call to increase its resilience to respond more effectively to current and future challenges.
The overarching theme of 2021 Bled Strategic Forum was the Future of Europe, with the panels structured in 4 clusters, showcasing the key areas for the debate – a cluster on the Future of Europe offered an honest and soul-searching debate on where Europe stands at this point and where is it heading, with discussions on the most pressing issues Europe is facing and the importance of a viable enlargement perspective and a process towards it for the Western Balkans to counter a growing influence of third countries in the region.
A cluster with global panels featured discussions on the status of Afghanistan, the rise of China and the changing balance in the world that will significantly affect the future European standing in the world and thus its future. Analysis of the EU’s policies and their effects, strengthening the cohesion and an increased presence in the world were recognised as key challenges. Stronger cooperation with India and Africa were also discussed.
While global developments will in no small measure determine the general direction the EU will head towards in the future, the regional outlook and development will have an even greater impact on the Future of Europe – with discussions in the regional cluster panels addressing the CEE region, the Three Seas Initiative and Eastern Partnership, alongside discussions focused on Europe’s defence, security and stability in the Mediterranean and cooperation in the Adriatic.
The cluster of transformational panels showcased some of the areas, issues and challenges Europe must face to better prepare for the future. Discussions addressed post-epidemic sustainable economic recovery, green and social recovery, future of European tourism, sustainable future growth, digital and transatlantic cooperation, cybersecurity, exploration of space, decarbonisation of transport, climate neutrality and COP26, the importance of strategic communication and communication with citizens, and the fight against disinformation.
You can find the BSF Conference Report here.
15. 9. 2021 | PR, Young BSF, Youth
From August 29th 2021 until August 31st 2021 , Bled (Slovenia) was once more the meeting point for young leaders, who in the scope of the Young Bled Strategic Forum and Bled Strategic Forum framework joined forces, shared their creativity and ideas in order to contribute their piece of the puzzle (as active citizens) to the challenges (or rather said) opportunities of today and tomorrow, that civil society, decision-makers, private sector, members of academia and all members of society will need to address jointly, with strong voices and decisive actions, to secure a prosperous Future of Europe.
A group of 40 participants, trainers and organisers from the countries of Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, France, Hungary, Ireland, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine and the United States of America participated in an intensive programme of capacity building and exchange of ideas through workshops, panel discussions, networking and other interactive activities the Young BSF is known for. The Programme was prepared in close cooperation with an international group of trainers and experts, who have extensive experience in the field of European Union policy, regional cooperation and the perspective of the Western Balkans region, economy and employability, resilience and recovery (in the scope of the COVID-19 pandemic), climate change and green transformation, civil society engagement in decision making and other topics.
Young participants contributed their voices and vision through the preparation of a joint declaration on the Future of Europe they desire, deserve and wish to help create, that will be further supported and promoted within the Conference on the Future of Europe and the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The Young BSF programme began on Sunday 29th of August at Bled (Slovenia) with introductory remarks presented by Mr. Peter Grk, Secretary-General of the Bled Strategic Forum, Ms Katja Geršak, Executive Director of the Centre for European Perspective, Mr Jernej Grahor, BSF Project Manager (Responsible for Young Bled Strategic Forum) and Ms Dafina Peci, Young Bled Strategic Forum Master of Ceremony.
On Monday, 30th of August 2021 the programme continued with workshops structured on decisive elements of creating an inclusive and engaging environment for the active participation of youth, and discussions on global challenges where perspectives (ideas) of youth need to be further supported. The first session was prepared by Ms Krisela Hackaj, Western Balkans Youth Cooperation Platform Executive Director and Ms Gresa Smolica, Cooperation and Development Institute Project Officer. Participants explored different initiatives, strategies and projects on the topic of economy and development, leading to the drafting of recommendations on how to take action towards youth participation in sectoral policymaking. Mr Jan Kulenović, Regional Youth Cooperation Office Director of Programs continued with a workshop on the topic of diversity, working on the important roles and opportunities of actors within society in the process of advancing the implementation of tolerance and inclusivity. Building on the broad experience and knowledge of V4SDG on the topic of climate change and green transformation, Ms Lilla Judit Bartuszek, V4SDG Secretary-General, engaged the participants in a discussion on the potential for cooperation, joint opportunities and responsibilities of promoting sustainability through cross-sectoral opportunities and actions towards a long term vision. The evening programme of Young BSF Day one was devoted to a structured approach towards the drafting of a joint Young BSF declaration, and an evening Night owl session presented by Mr Matt Jacobs, Digital Coordinator at the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs of the U.S. Department of State and Coordinator of the European Digital Diplomacy Exchange Programme. An open discussion tackled the challenges of successful digital communication and social listening, that within the opportunities of the digital environmental space, hold the opportunity of further bridging the gap between decision-makers (or institutions they represent) and civil society, the opportunity to in effect contribute to the safeguarding of digital resilience and information integrity protection.
On Tuesday, 31st of March the intensive programme continued with presentations of partnering organisations. The first session foresaw the implementation of the Third Fundamental Rights Dialogue, organised by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights in the form of a live event streamed on social media and online platforms. Participants cooperated with Mr Michael O´Flaherty, Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, in an open discussion on topics of fundamental rights protection and advancement. The discussion was moderated by Ms Dafina Peci, Young BSF Master of Ceremony. Dr Staša Mesec, Government Office for Development and Cohesion Policy and European Union Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) and Mr Jernej Grahor, European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) Priority Area 10 Coordinator continued the programme of the day, and engaged the participants in a workshop on civil society engagement in decision making. Young leaders began by exploring the opportunities for cooperation and work within the established structures of the Macroregional strategies, moving towards group work on specific topics closely supported by the Danube and Adriatic-Ionian region, discussing opportunities for closer engagement of civil society and youth in decision making on a local, regional and transnational level. The first-afternoon session was prepared in cooperation with the Regional Cooperation Council and the Western Balkans Youth Lab, presented by Ms Petra Balažič, Regional Cooperation Council Political Advisor. The discussion included the opportunities for better cooperation on a regional level as within the Western Balkans six economies and a bridge between regions as the WB6 together with the European Union, with a strong emphasis on economical cooperation, mobility and other cross-cutting topics that contribute to the creation of a more prosperous environment for youth, as well as contribute to progress and advancement of the region as a whole. The final session of the day included a panel discussion organised in cooperation with the Youth Council of Slovenia. Participants discussed the topic of youth participation in the European Union and exchanged their ideas with the session moderator Mr Patrik Bole, National Youth Council of Slovenia Vice President for International Cooperation, Ms Lucija Karnelutti, United Nations Youth Delegate of Slovenia, Mr Jaša Levstik, Project Manager of the 94th International Session of European Youth Parliament – Ljubljana 2021 and Ms Tjaša Božič representing the Institute for Political Management.
The programme of the Young BSF continued with the participation of young leaders in the proceedings of the Bled Strategic Forum as active participants of the workshops, panel discussions and meetings taking place between September 1st and September 2nd 2021.
The Young Bled Strategic Forum and Bled Strategic Forum platform once more wish to express gratitude and admiration to the sponsor and partner organisation, who contributed their expertise, knowledge and trust in the creation of a comprehensive programme. The organisation of the Young Bled Strategic Forum would not be possible without the support of the Regional Cooperation Council programme co-funded by the European Union, The Danube Transnational Programme, Triglav d.d. and the Central European Initiative.
Young Bled Strategic Forum Opening
Young Bled Strategic Forum Day 1
Young Bled Strategic Forum Day 2
Third Fundamental Rights Dialogue
7. 9. 2021 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
Bled Strategic Forum 2021 has come to its end, but its vision still echoes among us to this day. After such a resonating event it is not easy to put all the feelings into words but what can be said is that this year everyone has truly outdone themselves – Bled Strategic Forum 2021 undoubtedly bears the signature of excellence.
With more than 164 participating panellists and speakers from around the world, this year’s event was the most visited, visible, high-profile, and comprehensive Forum thus far. It hosted 12 prime ministers, several foreign ministers, two presidents, four former European heads of state, senior representatives of European and international institutions, members of the European Parliament and representatives of think tanks, civil society, businesses, and academia. More than 170 journalists, who spread the messages of the Forum to a broader international audience, covered the event. In over 40 hours of the programme, we all managed to create an inclusive space, which enabled an open exchange of different ideas and views on various aspects of the future of Europe and the world in the 21st century.
This year’s Forum focused on the future of Europe and the call to increase its resilience. The topics of the discussion touched on the priorities of the second Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which takes place under the “Together. Resilient. Europe” slogan.
On the first day, European leaders and EU high representatives discussed main challenges of Europe’s future, including EU enlargement, post-epidemic recovery, the green and digital transformations, and the future of European integration. The second day of the Forum was dedicated to economic recovery and tourism, laying the foundations for a more resilient EU, strengthening cyber resilience and digitalisation. Key topics of the second day included talks on mounting a stronger and more effective response to climate change, the importance of transatlantic cooperation, cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the challenges of the Eastern Partnership countries and the stability of the Mediterranean.
The recipient of this year’s “BSF Distinguished Partner Award 2021” is Pedro Opeka, a priest and missionary who has devoted more than 30 years of his life to humanitarian work and the fight against poverty in Madagascar.
As an introduction to the Forum, the tenth Young Bled Strategic Forum was held at the beginning of the week in Bled, bringing together more than 30 young people from 12 different countries who discussed the future of Europe, thus enabling active social participation for the younger generations.
You can relive this year’s Forum here:
Thank you note
Centre for European Perspective, as a proud co-organizer of the Bled Strategic Forum, wishes to thank partners, supporters, and friends of the Forum. It was a great honour and pleasure to organise this year’s Bled Strategic Forum – with you and for you.
A sincere thank you for co-shaping with your support the largest Forum to date.
27. 8. 2021 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
The 2021 edition of Bled Strategic Forum will take place between 1st and 2nd of September in Bled under the title “Future of Europe”. It will for the 16th time and in spite of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in one place gather distinguished foreign and Slovenian political leaders and leading experts from spheres of economy, research and development, science, technology and civil society.
Main event will be between 30th and 31st August preceded by Young Bled Strategic Forum where young leaders will try to find solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues through interactive discussions and workshops.
Europe and with it the EU have been faced, over a relatively short period of time, with a number of difficult situations, ranging from financial and migration crises, Brexit and COVID-19 pandemic that have challenged the organization’s values and standards, but also decreased the level of trust in international law and organizations. It would therefore be fair to say that those experiences affect the social, economic and political structure of the world, Europe, the EU, its member states and every single individual. Tackling demographic challenges, investing in youth, R&D, digital and green projects, infrastructure, energy, digital connectivity and artificial intelligence is therefore an essential part of EU’s post-crisis recovery alongside with putting more emphasis on increasing its political power on the global stage and building strong partnerships with its allies. Consequently, this year’s Bled Strategic Forum will through a plethora of panels and with the help of numerous experts try to shed light on our common way forward.
Central theme of this year’s Bled Strategic Forum is the future of Europe and a call for increasing its resilience. As the leading international conference in Central and South-Eastern as well as unique, open and inclusive platform on Europe’s key challenges of the 21st century it will host over 170 visible speakers and panellists. Among them are EU senior representatives, such as President of the European Parliament David Sassoli, President of the European Council Charles Michel, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi and European Commission Vice-President for Democracy and Demography Dubravka Šuica. They will be accompanied by former ministers, current ministers and presidents of governments and countries, senior representatives of European and international institutions, civil society representatives such as Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, representatives of global companies such as Facebook, Google, ESA, NASA, Microsoft and Generali, and representatives of academic and research organizations.
Key topics for panel discussions
Bled Strategic Forum 2021 is also one of the main events taking place during the second Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council, under the slogan “Together. Resilient. Europe.” Future of Europe, sustainability, digitalisation and Transatlantic relations are common key topics on which Slovenia and with it Bled Strategic Forum build and encourage dialogue. That is why, on the first day, European Heads of State and senior representatives will discuss the main challenges for the future of the EU, including enlargement. Among the topics to be discussed on Day 1 will also be post-epidemic recovery, green and digital transformation, and the future of European integration.
Key topics of the Day 2 will be the importance of transatlantic cooperation and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, regional challenges in the Eastern Partnership countries, stability in the Mediterranean and joint governance of the Adriatic Sea, climate change and responses to it, digitalisation, cyber security, and economic recovery and tourism.
Young Bled Strategic Forum
The Young Bled Strategic Forum, this year under the title Future of Europe – Youth at the Centre, has been held as part of the main event since 2011 and enables the younger generations to actively participate in society. 2021 edition will focus on the possibilities and opportunities for the active participation of young people in European affairs while also addressing problems they face and the tools they lack to guarantee that youth really is the future of Europe. Two-day event will enable young participants to actively work towards constructing a draft declaration or rather a blueprint of the European future through capacity building, consultations, interactive workshops, round table discussions and other structured activities.
Partnerships and cooperations
Since 2006 Bled Strategic Forum has hosted more than 100,000 participants from 100 countries, more than 30 Heads of State and Government, more than 300 ministers, more than 100 representatives of international organizations and followed more than 400 hours of discussions.
This year’s and all previous years’ realisations of the Forum would not be possible without the support of the partners and sponsors. Among them this year are numerous institutional partners with whom we co-create expert side events and talks.
* Event will be live streamed online and therefore open to anyone. Look for the link on the Bled Strategic Forum website and Facebook page.
9. 6. 2021 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
Blejski strateški forum ter Center za evropsko prihodnost vabita na okroglo mizo z naslovom
Uvertura v prihodnost, Akt III: Širitev EU in razvijanje odnosov z vzhodnim in južnim sosedstvom
Četrtek, 17. junij ob 11.00
Registriraj se tu*
*Do zapolnitve kapacitet (v okviru omejitev) bo razpravo mogoče spremljati v živo (z upoštevanjem pogojev PCT) na gradu Jable, Grajska cesta 1, 1234 Mengeš, ostali udeleženci pa jo bodo lahko spremljali preko interneta (Zoom platforma, live-stream bo potekal na Facebook profilu BSF). Možnost ogleda v živo bo določena glede na kronološki vrstni red prispelih registracij. Udeleženci, ki se bodo razprave lahko udeležili v živo bodo o tem obveščeni 48 ur pred dogodkom na e-poštni naslov.
Letošnji Blejski strateški forum bo posvečen prihodnosti Evrope in odraža željo in potrebo po razpravi o najbolj perečih problemih našega časa ter kako naj se na njih Evropska unija odzove. Nedavni začetek Konference o prihodnosti Evrope to tudi potrjuje. A vendar mora razprava o prihodnosti Evrope zaobjeti tudi prihodnost širitve na zahodni Balkan ter južno in vzhodno soseščino, ki so za EU strateškega pomena, saj se tu širi vpliv držav, katerih interesi, vrednote in norme se močno razlikujejo od vrednot in norm EU. Imamo dovolj ambicij in modrosti za pospešek širitvenemu procesu in premiku k skupnemu cilju – ekonomski, demokratični in družbeni transformaciji regije? Kako bomo vključili poglede zahodnega Balkana h Konferenci o prihodnosti Evrope?
Obenem pa prehitro pozabljamo na pomen bližnje soseščine za zagotavljanje miru in varnosti EU. Sosledje nedavnih kriz – pandemije, migracij in pešajočih gospodarstev – je dodobra razkrilo nepripravljenosti EU na njih ter pomanjkljivosti ad-hoc rešitev.
Kakšna bo oz. bi morala biti vloga vprašanj soseščine na Konferenci o prihodnosti Evrope? Kako lahko Evropa postani bolj aktivna pri reševanju najbolj perečih problemov soseščine?
Na razpravi o teh vprašanjih bodo sodelovali:
- Dr. Valentin Inzko, Visoki predstavnik za Bosno in Hercegovino
- Lojze Peterle, bivši poslanec Evropskega parlamenta
- Dr. Igor Senčar, Državni sekretar RS za koordinacijo mednarodnih in EU zadev
- Dr. Aleš Maver, publicist, prevajalec in profesor
- Katja Geršak, Izvršna direktorica Centra za evropsko prihodnost
Moderator: Peter Grk, generalni sekretar Blejskega strateškega foruma
Pogovor bo potekal v slovenskem jeziku in bo sneman.
20. 5. 2021 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR, Youth
Applications for the Young Bled Strategic Forum now open!
Are you a young leader between 18 and 35 years old?
Striving to make a positive impact in your community, country or the world?
Then read on and don’t forget to apply for the Young Bled Strategic Forum 2021!
For the past decade, the Young Bled Strategic Forum (Young BSF) has been bringing together young leaders, aged between 18 and 35 years, from all over the world to engage in lively discussion and develop innovative solutions to some of the most pressing global issues. It has become a unique meeting place for a diverse array of young leaders, entrepreneurs, influencers, thinkers and social activists, offering them a platform to share their visions, exchange ideas and connect.
Young people, often metaphorised as ‘our future’ (in a truthful or cliché manner), and their participation in society is crucial in creating resilient democracies and a sustainable global environment that can respond to the myriad contemporary and future global challenges. Engagement of young individuals does not only include political participation but a broader approach, ensuring the right, the means, space and opportunity to participate and take action towards building a better society, as underlined in the Revised European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life. Although the possibilities for youth participation have increased, we can still do more to encourage greater engagement, connection and empowerment of young individuals in practice and contribute to the overall perception of the important role young people play in society.
The Conference on the Future of Europe, starting in May 2021, will give European citizens an opportunity to express their views and have their say in the development of the European project. Young Europeans are intended to be at the centre of this consultation, giving them room to express their views, creativity and ideas on equal terms and in partnership with other stakeholders within society. Therefore, it is an opportunity that cannot be overlooked, one that enables young people to leave a mark and express that they are not merely passive beneficiaries but active contributors to the European prosperity of today and tomorrow. Additionally, post-COVID recovery presents a unique chance to build resilience and shape a Europe fit for the challenges of the future.
Young BSF will focus on the participation of young people in European affairs: it will offer an introduction to the opportunities for their engagement (on the EU level), listing the opportunities for their engagement, and describe the problems they face and the tools they lack for effective participation in society, ranging from education, access to the labour market, social affairs and the possibility to influence the decision-makers. Most importantly, the discussions taking place within the Young BSF will focus on how to address identified challenges and the solutions needed to guarantee that young Europeans truly are the future of Europe.
Young BSF will consist of preparatory activities and the main event organised in high hopes that young leaders will have the opportunity to participate live, late this summer from 31 August to 1 September at Bled, Slovenia. Young participants will be engaged in capacity building and consultations, and cooperate in interactive workshops, round table discussions and other structured activities leading to a drafted declaration portraying their blueprint of the European future.
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.
Please note that the official language of the event is English. The selected participants are expected to join in the extensive preparations and pre-event online meetings, which is a prerequisite for participation in activities.
APPLY VIA THE APPLICATION FORM HERE.
Applications close on June 20, 2021.
Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].
