17. 3. 2023 | EUCTI, PR
As an active European Union Civilian Training Initiative (EUCTI) Consortium partner, the Centre for European Perspective joined the EUCTI Partner and Planning meeting between 13 and 15 March in Brussels. As was the case during the last such meeting in November 2022, the project partners (alongside CEP: ACP from Austria, the Clingendael Institute from the Netherlands, CMC Finland, Egmont Institute from Belgium, FBA from Sweden, SSSA from Italy and ZIF Berlin) were joined by the representatives of relevant EU structures. Additionally, representatives of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) and interested partners of the recently finished EUPCST project attended the meeting.
Even before the double P (Planning and Partner) meeting, CEP attended the European Union Civilian Training Group (EUCTG) meeting on 13 March in its capacity as the EU Civilian Coordinator for Training (CCT) and National Training Expert (NTE – together with Slovenian Police). As CCT, CEP prepared a Training Requirement Analysis on Communicational, Behavioral and Cultural Skills in 2021. One of the meeting topics was also the future of Foreign Policy Instrument-funded training projects, which corresponds with the EUCTI project.
The suggestions and insights from the EUCTG meeting represented a necessary basis for the discussion on the future of EUCTI, held during the double P meeting between 14 and 15 March. CEP actively participated in this discussion and expressed reiterated support for the project and a wish to remain an engaged partner in the next project phase.
In May, CEP will implement advanced Digital Communications training for European Advisory Mission in Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine). Details will follow soon.
For more information about EUCTI and the meeting, click on the EUCTI logo below.
13. 3. 2023 | European Digital Diplomacy Exchange, PR, Strategic Communication
More than ever, the unstable and uncertain times call for effective and trustworthy communication from governments and institutions. They are under enormous pressure to introduce and communicate policy initiatives under extraordinary circumstances while simultaneously competing with the flooding of misinformation and disinformation. Digital capabilities and strategic thinking have undoubtedly become the core of governments’ communications and public affairs operations.
Once again, European Digital Diplomacy Exchange will gather government communicators for a 4-day training, where they will be polishing their digital communication competencies. Participants from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechia, Estonia, Georgia, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine will join us in Portorož from 21 to 24 March.
The theme of this training will be “Turning Practice into Strategy, Structures, and Systems.” With the focus on returning participants, we will be shifting our attention to how participants can translate the skills they have developed during previous workshops into policies, protocols, and procedures that will foster institutional systems that better enable digital strategic communications practices. Participants will learn from experts in this field and participate in practical exercises that will provide tangible, workable solutions to their home ministries.
The project is a result of cooperation between the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana, and the Centre for European Perspective.
The project is partially financed by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia in the scope of the program activities of international development cooperation.
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8. 3. 2023 | POTC, PR
Kliknite tukaj za branje prispevka v slovenskem jeziku.
In April, Peace Operations and Training Centre (POTC) will organise a training titled “Acquaintance with the Sahel Region – the Peace and Security Perspective” that will run from 19–20 April at Jable Castle, Slovenia.
The countries of the Sahel are experiencing several crises simultaneously, including a security crisis with regular attacks on civilians and security forces by armed terrorist groups. Relations between European countries, the EU and the countries of the Sahel, in particular the G5 Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger), are of strategic importance for European countries, especially those bordering the Mediterranean, including Slovenia, in terms of security and stability, international commitments on climate and sustainable development, and migration routes to Europe.
The training will bring together national and French experts to present the current security situation in the Sahel and the outlook for the near future.
Participants will learn about:
- Historical, geographical, (geo)political and economic aspects of the region.
- Security challenges between the Sahel and Europe.
- The security situation in selected countries of the region.
Some more general information about the training:
- English will be the working language.
- 25 places are available for participants.
- Coffee/tea and lunch will be provided during the training.
- Registration is open until the 11th of April 2023.
For more information about the training, please contact: [email protected]
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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.
22. 2. 2023 | EUCTI, POTC, PR
Kliknite tukaj za branje prispevka v slovenskem jeziku
This Wednesday, February 22nd, Jable Castle was visited by military attachés accredited to or working in Slovenia. The visit was organised by the Defence Policy Directorate of the Ministry of Defence.
Nina Čepon, CEP Acting Executive Director, and Markko Kallonnen, EUCTI Project Coordinator, both presented the work of POTC, EUCTI and CEP in a productive and insightful visit of military attachés. They mentioned both the activities of CEP as a whole as well as the civilian crisis management sectors, concretely EUCTI and POTC. The presentations concluded with a fruitful Q&A session where questions were answered and opinions were shared.
At the end of the presentations, Colonel Mitja Miklavec of the Bilateral and Multilateral Affairs Division of the Defence Policy Directorate from the Slovenian MOD gave some concluding remarks, thanked the hosts, and highlighted the refreshing work that POTC is doing, combining the visions of the three ministries. He also shared his thought that »POTC is linking us together for future activities« in the sense that attaché networking benefits all partner countries moving forward.
The visit formally concluded with a networking coffee break.
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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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