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].
17. 3. 2021 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
British Embassy Ljubljana, Centre for European Perspective – CEP and Bled Strategic Forum – BSF are pleased to invite you to the fourth event in the FUTURE PERFECT series titled:
How Western are the Western Balkans? The path to Euro-Atlantic integration
Tuesday, March 23, 12:00 (CET)
The future of the Western Balkans will shape the future of Europe. But during the pandemic, actors with competing values and principles have actively pursued their own agendas in the region. Have Europe and the West missed an opportunity to bring the Western Balkans closer?
Is there political will in Europe for effective strategic engagement with the region? And how can the region, with the rest of Europe, renew momentum for Euro-Atlantic integration – in the face of the influence and interests of other global players?
As the pandemic’s horizon comes into view, we invite you to join the latest episode in our “Future Perfect” series. The British Embassy Ljubljana and Centre for European Perspective will host a discussion with leading British, Slovene and regional experts to explore potential paths for the Western Balkans – and what this means for the future of Europe.
PANELLISTS:
- Mr Matt Baugh, Director, Political & Security at the UK Mission to the EU in Brussels
- Mr Peter Grk, National Coordinator for the Western Balkans, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia
- Mr Zoran Nechev, Head of the Center for European Integration, Institute for Democracy/Senior Researcher, Member of BiEPAG
Please join us via Zoom at the link below.
This will be the fourth event of the FUTURE PERFECT event series, organized by the
British Embassy in Ljubljana, in cooperation with CEP and BSF. The FUTURE PERFECT series will gather experts to ask big questions about our post-COVID future. For more about the series, follow CEP on
Facebook and
Twitter or Bled Strategic Forum on
Facebook,
Twitter and
Instagram or follow the hashtag
#FuturePerfectSeries.
10. 2. 2021 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
NATO – Ready for 2030?
Missed the #FuturePerfectSeries discussion on the future of NATO, organized by the British Embassy Ljubljana, Centre for European Perspective – CEP and Bled Strategic Forum – BSF?
In the third event of the Future Perfect series, the British Embassy Ljubljana and Centre for European Perspective, alongside the Bled Strategic Forum, hosted a discussion with policymakers and security experts to ascertain how ready NATO is for the security threats of the 2020s and what this means for defence policy.
Uroš Zorko (Director-General of the Defence Policy Directorate at Slovene Ministry of Defence), Daniel Drake (Head of Euro-Atlantic Security Partnership at UK Ministry of Defence), Marta Dassù (Senior Director of European Affairs at The Aspen Institute; Member of NATO Reflection Group) and Dr Božo Cerar (Former State Secretary at Slovene Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Slovenia to NATO) joined moderator Katja Geršak (Executive Director, Centre for European Perspective) in discussing the role NATO will play in mitigating the threats the new decade will bring and the current dilemmas NATO and its allies are facing.
In case you didn’t have the time last week to watch the #FuturePerfectSeries discussion on #NATO2030, a recording of the entire event is now available online.
𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗢 – 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟯𝟬? You can watch the video here:
