HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS TRAINING 2026 – CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS TRAINING 2026 – CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

17. 11. 2025 | POTC, PR

The Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) in Slovenia and the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) are co-organising the “Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT)” training activity. The training will take place at the Gotenica Police Training Centre in Slovenia from Sunday, 8 March to Friday, 13 March 2026.

Kliknite tukaj za branje članka v slovenskem jeziku.

This training activity contributes to security and situational awareness, reinforces a safety and security awareness mindset, and develops confidence in hostile situations. In addition, the training provides guidance on individual and team behaviour to help deter, detect and react during and after threatening events, thus increasing the overall personal safety and security of the training participants while serving in hostile environments. This year’s HEAT will be conducted in a winter environment.

Up to 20 professionals with different backgrounds, working or aiming to work with national or international (non-)governmental organisations, academic or private sector, are eligible to apply for participation in the training.

The participants will join an experienced group of Slovenian and foreign trainers for a five-day intensive course in the southwestern part of Slovenia. The training is designed to:

  • improve participants’ knowledge about multiple threats present in hostile field environments and learn how to deal with them in an effective manner,
  • rehearse and practice safety and security procedures according to specific threats,
  • develop skills and behaviours to deal with different stressful situations.

Activities of the Hostile Environment Awareness Training include e-learning prior to the in-person training, lectures, guided discussions, role-playing, simulations, and a complex field training exercise. Trainees will be addressing deployment in hostile environments (threat awareness, management of various threats, etc.), medical help, orientation, communications, mobility, etc.

Applications must be submitted via the ESDC’s secure online system, ENLIST, by designated nominators at https://esdc.europa.eu/enlist/login. To apply, a national nominator must first add you to the system, so please contact your nominator as the first step. A list of ENLIST nominators is available on the ESDC website at https://www.esdc.europa.eu/training-and-education/list-nominators_en.

The deadline for submitting the application is 15 January 2026. The selection of participants is done by POTC and ESDC after the deadline, and both selected and unselected applicants will be notified.

You can find all the information regarding the registration process and the training delivery here.

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WIN Academy – Youth Edition

WIN Academy – Youth Edition

14. 11. 2025 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR

The first OSCE WIN Academy – Youth Edition, co-organised by the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF), the OSCE, and the Faculty of Social Sciences, took place in Ljubljana from 3–6 November. The programme brought together 16 students from South-Eastern Europe for four days of workshops, discussions, and exchanges focused on gender equality and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda.

The Youth Edition is part of the OSCE WIN (Women and Men Innovating and Networking for Gender Equality) project. The main objective of WIN is to advance gender equality as a prerequisite for achieving and maintaining stable, prosperous, and peaceful societies across the OSCE area. WIN regularly delivers capacity-building programmes, leadership trainings, and skills development opportunities for professionals and practitioners. This was the first time the Academy was organised specifically for young people, making it a new step in extending WIN’s tools and training approaches to the next generation of peace providers.

The programme

The programme opened with a public event titled “Looking Back in Order to Look Forward: Empowering Youth to Lead and Strengthen WPS.” Speakers underlined that the WPS Agenda is about ensuring full inclusion in peace and security efforts and highlighted the need to shift narratives away from seeing women only as victims.

The panel featured:

  • Ambassador Darja Bavdaž Kuret, MFA Slovenia
  • Prof. Dr. Ljubica Jelušič, University of Ljubljana
  • Dr. Lara Scarpitta, OSCE Gender Issues Programme

Moderated by Peter Grk, BSF Secretary General

The event was opened by Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Dr. Scarpitta, and Prof. Dr. Andrej Kohont, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Over the next few days, the participants then engaged in the participant-only programme, which included sessions on the OSCE’s work and its field operations in South-Eastern Europe, key international frameworks on gender equality, and the intersections of gender, youth, and peacebuilding.

Throughout the programme, they had the opportunity to learn from and engage with a range of OSCE experts and practitioners, including Anastasia Fusco (WIN Project Manager, OSCE Gender Issues Programme), Augusta Featherston (Head of Democratization Department, OSCE Mission to Serbia), and Elmaja Bavčić (Adviser on Gender Equality, OSCE), who led sessions on OSCE structures, gender frameworks, and practical approaches to equality in the security sector.

The programme also featured a conversation with Sonja Lokar, former Chair of the Stability Pact Gender Task Force, as well as a fireside chat with alumnae of the OSCE Young Women’s Dialogue Academy. In addition, participants took part in the workshop “Youth Voices for an Equal Future,” a feminist tour of Ljubljana, and a discussion with Ms. Lucija Tacer, Member of the National Assembly.

 

INVITATION – Ukrainian-Slovenian Business Forum on Energy Sphere (10 Dec 2025, 10:00 CET)

INVITATION – Ukrainian-Slovenian Business Forum on Energy Sphere (10 Dec 2025, 10:00 CET)

13. 11. 2025 | PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, Ukraine

We kindly invite you to the

Ukrainian–Slovenian Business Forum on Energy Sphere

 

taking place on 10th December 2025 from 10:00–13:00 (CET)

 

Location: ON-SITE – Jable Castle, Grajska cesta 1, 1234 Loka pri Mengšu (Slovenia) / ONLINE

 

The event is held under the auspices of the Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine Programme implemented by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP), in partnership with the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and SPIRIT, Slovenian Public Agency for Investments, Entrepreneurship and Internationalisation.

 

The event will bring together companies from Ukraine and Slovenia (both on-site and online), along with the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. An additional side programme for Ukrainian delegations will be communicated shortly.

 

 Please, register online here: REGISTRATION FORM (Registration deadline: 1 Dec 2025)

  

For any additional information, do not hesitate to contact us:

Mr Oleg Rogoza, Project Manager (CEP), [email protected]

Ms Nuša Blatnik, Project Assistant (CEP), [email protected]

 

QUICK CONCEPT – PARTNERSHIPS FOR COOPERATION AND RECOVERY PROJECTS

The ongoing transformation of the energy sector in Europe, coupled with the urgent need for reconstruction and modernization of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, creates a unique opportunity for cross-border cooperation. Slovenia, as an EU member with strong expertise in renewable energy, energy efficiency, green transition, and sustainable infrastructure, can offer valuable partnerships to Ukrainian companies seeking technological know-how, investment support, and joint participation in EU- or Energy Community–financed projects.
For Ukrainian energy enterprises and technology providers, this conference offers opportunities for joint project development that contribute to Ukraine’s sustainable recovery and integration into the European energy community, while for Slovenian companies, it offers an entry point into the Ukrainian market, access to European funding mechanisms for joint projects in the energy sphere in Ukraine.

Event objectives
• To facilitate partnerships between Ukrainian and Slovenian companies active in the energy sector and related industries;
• To promote joint participation in EU- and Energy Community–financed projects, including green transition and recovery programs for Ukraine;
• To inform participants about available financial and institutional support mechanisms in Slovenia and the EU;
• To showcase innovative energy solutions, technologies, and services that can support Ukraine’s recovery and sustainable growth;
• To create a long-term network for cooperation and project development in the energy sphere.

Target audiences
From Ukraine:
• Energy companies, utilities, and grid operators;
• Renewable energy developers (solar, wind, biomass, hydrogen);
• Energy efficiency solution providers;
• Engineering and technology firms;
• Municipal energy agencies and project implementers.

From Slovenia:
• Companies in energy sector, incl. in renewable energy, smart grids, and clean technologies;
• Consulting and engineering firms.

Ukrainian companies are invited to present:
• Their capabilities in the energy sector;
• Partnership needs (technological, financial, or strategic);
• Project ideas for which they seek Slovenian or EU partners.

Slovenian companies are encouraged to:
• Explore business opportunities in Ukraine’s energy recovery;
• Identify reliable Ukrainian partners for EU-funded or bilateral projects;
• Contribute to Europe’s green and resilient energy future through cooperation.

Quick event timeline
1. Opening of the event
2. Keynote address
3. Presentations on part of Ukrainian companies
4. Presentations on part of Slovenian companies
5. B2B (business-to-business opportunity)
6. Networking lunch

Slovenia-Somalia Cooperation Strengthened Through Climate Security ToT Training

Slovenia-Somalia Cooperation Strengthened Through Climate Security ToT Training

10. 11. 2025 | POTC, PR

As the curtain closes on the Climate Security with a Training of Trainers (ToT) Module Training, organised by POTC in partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Addis Ababa, we reflect on Slovenia-Somalia Cooperation through a week of transformative learning, collaboration, and commitment to addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our time: the intersection of climate change and security. 

Kliknite tukaj za branje članka v slovenskem jeziku.

A Week of Impactful Learning

12 Somali participants working in the field of climate change, environmental protection, agriculture, security and education were at the centre of this specialised training programme. The need-based training was developed in accordance with the needs of the Somali counterparts and took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The end result was a training programme delivered by 4 expert trainers coming from Slovenia, Sweden and Ethiopia. Topics covered included: 9 Planetary Boundaries, Climate Change and Security, regional Climate-Conflict Dynamics, Climate-Induced Displacement, Environmental Peacebuilding, Water Security and how to design a training from A to Z, to name a few.

Slovenia-Somalia Cooperation and Partnership

The training brought together stakeholders from different institutions and countries, namely Slovenia and Somalia, with a common goal: deepening understanding of the effects of climate change on peace and security. In addition, participants deepened their knowledge and skills as trainers through the additional ToT module.

The training was organised in close cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Addis Ababa. H.E. Kristina Radej, the deputy and staff, made sure we had the necessary contacts and information from Ethiopia to deliver our first training here as smoothly as possible.

We would like to thank all the participants, the Government of Somalia, the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Addis Ababa, the excellent trainers and others who helped make this training a basis for future Slovenia-Somalia cooperation in the field of peace and security.

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Uspešno zaključen seminar o vplivu nastajajočih tehnologij na strateške odločitve in operativne zmogljivosti

Uspešno zaključen seminar o vplivu nastajajočih tehnologij na strateške odločitve in operativne zmogljivosti

7. 11. 2025 | POTC, PR

6. novembra 2025 smo organizirali seminar »Prebojne vojaške tehnologije in prakse«, posvečen vplivu nastajajočih in prebojnih tehnologij na strateške odločitve ter operativne zmogljivosti v kontekstu mednarodnega miru in varnosti.

Click here to read this article in English.

Seminarja, ki je bil organiziran v tesnem sodelovanju z Oddelkom za vojaško tehnologijo, raziskave in razvoj Ministrstva za obrambo, so se udeležili predstavniki Ministrstva za obrambo in Slovenske vojske, pri izvedbi pa je sodelovala tudi vrsta uglednih strokovnjakov s področja vojaških tehnologij, inovacij ter povezanih visokotehnoloških raziskav in industrije, ki sodelujejo pri projektih Ministrstva za obrambo Republike Slovenije.

V okviru seminarja so bile obravnavane ključne teme, med njimi:

  • pomen nastajajočih in prebojnih tehnologij za prihodnje vojaške in varnostne zmogljivosti,
  • pregled strateških dokumentov Republike Slovenije na področju obrambe in varnosti,
  • predstavitev NATO pospeševalnika DIANA ter projektov Evropske obrambne agencije in Evropskega obrambnega sklada,
  • povezovanje raziskovalnih projektov ARIS CRP z obrambnimi potrebami in mednarodnimi iniciativami.

Udeleženci so pridobili poglobljen vpogled v tehnološke trende, ki bodo v prihodnosti oblikovali nacionalno in zavezniško varnostno okolje. Seminar se je zaključil z živahno razpravo, v kateri so udeleženci izmenjali izkušnje, stališča in predloge za nadaljnje sodelovanje na področju raziskav, razvoja ter implementacije naprednih tehnologij v obrambnem sistemu Republike Slovenije.

Seminar je znova potrdil pomembnost sodelovanja med obrambnim sektorjem in raziskovalnimi ustanovami pri oblikovanju sodobnih zmogljivosti za zagotavljanje miru, varnosti in tehnološke suverenosti.

Za več informacij o usposabljanju in še več nas lahko spremljate na družbenih omrežjih:

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Upcoming mentorship visit of Municipality of Zarichne at the Municipality of Slovenska Bistrica

Upcoming mentorship visit of Municipality of Zarichne at the Municipality of Slovenska Bistrica

6. 11. 2025 | PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, U-LEAD: with Europe, Ukraine

As part of the Ukraine Recovery Programme, we are pleased to announce an upcoming mentorship visit of representatives from the Municipality of Zarichne (Ukraine) to the Municipality of Slovenska Bistrica (Slovenia).

The visit will take place from 19 to 28 November 2025. The main focus of the mentorship will be on public utilities, including water supply systems, waste management, road infrastructure, and sewerage. Additional topics will cover healthcare, agriculture, and entrepreneurship. The selected themes reflect the clearly defined needs and priorities of the Ukrainian partner municipality, identified during the previous phase of the project.

The ‘Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine’ programme is funded by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through the Slovenian Aid and Partnerships and implemented in partnership with ‘U-LEAD with Europe’.