Usposabljanje »Mednarodno humanitarno in kazensko pravo« z ukrajinskimi strokovnjaki

Usposabljanje »Mednarodno humanitarno in kazensko pravo« z ukrajinskimi strokovnjaki

Med 16. in 17. septembrom 2026 je na Gradu Jable tudi letos potekalo dvodnevno usposabljanje »Mednarodno humanitarno in kazensko pravo«, ki ga je POTC organiziral v sodelovanju s Sektorjem za pravne zadeve Generalštaba Slovenske vojske.

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V okviru dvodnevnega programa so udeleženci obravnavali aktualne pravne in varnostne izzive, med drugim, odstop od Konvencije o prepovedi protipehotnih min (Ottavska konvencija) in Konvencije o kasetnem strelivu (MKKS) ter obveznosti držav zaveznic NATO (5. člen Severnoatlantske pogodbe) ter študiji primerov Venezuele in Irana.

Drugi dan usposabljanja je bil posebej namenjen izkušnjam s terena. Svoje izkušnje in strokovni pogled sta predstavila dva pravna svetovalca iz ukrajinske vojske, ki sta z udeleženci razpravljala o pravnih vidikih delovanja v aktualnih varnostnih razmerah ter praktičnih izzivih, s katerimi se pravni svetovalci srečujejo pri svojem delu.

Usposabljanje je s predavanji, predstavitvami in odprto razpravo omogočilo povezovanje teoretičnega znanja s praktičnimi izkušnjami ter spodbudilo izmenjavo različnih strokovnih pogledov na vprašanja, ki so pomembna za delo pravnih svetovalcev v nacionalnem in mednarodnem okolju.

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Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) of the Republic of Slovenia

EUTI Training Completed: Training of Trainers (ToT): Communication & Conduct

EUTI Training Completed: Training of Trainers (ToT): Communication & Conduct

From 7 to 9 September 2026, the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) and the Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC), under the auspices of EUTI – European Union Training Initiative, successfully conducted the “Training of Trainers (ToT): Communication & Conduct” at Jable Castle in Loka pri Mengšu, Slovenia.

The intensive 3-day training was designed to equip instructors and facilitators with advanced andragogical (and heutagogical tools) and modern communication standards for peace operations.

  • Training dates: 7–9 September 2026
  • Training location: Jable Castle, Loka pri Mengšu, Slovenia

Background and Core Objectives

The proper preparedness of peace operations personnel and the effective dissemination of updated peacekeeping standards depend on trainers and facilitators’ ability to transfer expertise and model appropriate behaviours. Operating within complex operational environments, mission personnel must be equipped with modern communication standards that foster respect, compliance, and inclusion across diverse contexts.

This ToT empowered participants to transfer expertise and knowledge to their target groups, with a heavy emphasis on inclusive communication approaches that systematically identify and neutralise hidden barriers that can marginalise participants.

The programme focused on the following core premises and objectives:

  • Inclusive Communication: Mastered non-exclusionary communication methods and learned to systematically identify and remove subtle or hidden barriers that lead to participant marginalisation.
  • Knowledge Transfer & Methodology: Equipped trainers and instructors with effective facilitation and pedagogical tools to seamlessly transfer expertise and updated peacekeeping standards to mission personnel.
  • Standards of Conduct: Reinforced professional ethical standards, conduct expectations, and behavioural principles required across international peace operations and national deployments.
  • Practical & Experiential Learning: Applied interactive, application-oriented exercises tailored for professionals regularly facilitating workshops, training sessions, and group preparation processes.
Septembrsko usposabljanje o mednarodnem humanitarnem in kazenskem pravu

Septembrsko usposabljanje o mednarodnem humanitarnem in kazenskem pravu

Click here to read this article in English.

Med 16. in 17. septembrom 2026 bo POTC v sodelovanju s Sektorjem za pravne zadeve Generalštaba Slovenske vojske na gradu Jable organiziral usposabljanje »Mednarodno humanitarno in kazensko pravo«. Usposabljanje je namenjeno kot platforma za strokovno razpravo, izmenjavo izkušenj ter poglobljen vpogled v aktualne izzive mednarodnega humanitarnega in kazenskega prava. 

Usposabljanje je namenjeno pravnim svetovalcem in drugim strokovnjakom s področja mednarodnega humanitarnega in kazenskega prava. Tudi letošnja izvedba bo skozi predavanja in razprave naslovila aktualna pravna vprašanja ter ponudila priložnost za izmenjavo pogledov in dobrih praks. 

Letošnje usposabljanje bo obravnavalo naslednje teme: 

  • odstop od Konvencije o prepovedi protipehotnih min in Konvencije o kasetnem strelivu ter obveznosti držav zaveznic, 
  • 5. člen Severnoatlantske pogodbe, 
  • študija primera Venezuela–Iran, 
  • poveljniška odgovornost kot institut mednarodnega kazenskega prava.

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Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) of the Republic of Slovenia

Training Announcement: Climate Change, Peace and Security Training to be Delivered in Kenya

Training Announcement: Climate Change, Peace and Security Training to be Delivered in Kenya

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS OPEN — POTC is continuing its cooperation with the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC) in Kenya to deliver the Climate Change, Peace, and Security Training. The training will be held between 26 and 29 October 2026 at the Humanitarian Peace Support School (HPSS) in Nairobi.

Kliknite tukaj za branje članka v slovenskem jeziku.

In recent years, climate change has increasingly been recognised as a security concern and a global threat multiplier. Unpredictable weather patterns and more frequent extreme events – such as heatwaves, floods, cyclones and droughts – are disrupting ways of life, particularly for the world’s most vulnerable populations. While climate change does not directly cause conflict, it exacerbates existing pressures, including food insecurity, resource scarcity, social tensions, and forced displacement. Consequently, the United Nations (UN) has been actively calling for peace missions and operations to assess climate-related risks and develop strategies to manage these risks within their mandates. Therefore, if peace operations are to successfully fulfil their indispensable mandates, climate change considerations must be systematically integrated into their planning and implementation. In the field of peace missions and operations, further action is needed to equip military, police, and civilian personnel with the knowledge and tools to effectively implement increasingly diverse mandates and to understand the security implications of climate change.

Given that the largest peacekeeping operations (UN, AU) are deployed in Africa, and that most peacekeeping missions on the continent operate in conflict zones that are highly vulnerable to climate change, it is important for contingents and personnel deployed in these missions to develop a deeper understanding of the links between climate, peace, and security within the context of peace operations in Africa. In this regard, the Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) and the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC) are organising the “Climate, Peace and Security Training”.

The training will enable participants to:

  • Develop a strong grasp of climate change science fundamentals and their implications for planning and implementing peace operations;
  • Strengthen understanding of the complex interplay between climate, peace, and security, including how climate change affects conflict;
  • Apply analytical tools to assess climate-related risks and resilience in conflict-affected settings to better inform peace operations planning and operations;
  • Design and implement programmes that embed climate-responsive strategies in peace operations.

Attendance is free of charge for all selected participants. The training will be held entirely in English – proficiency is required. The training organisers will also support participants with the following services:

  • economy-level plane tickets for arrival and departure to Nairobi, Kenya,
  • assistance with visa/electronic travel authorisation (ETA) procurement and reimbursement,
  • local transport between the airport and the training venue,
  • accommodation in HPSS, along with breakfast and dinner for the entire duration of the training,
  • lunch, beverages and other refreshments provided during the training for all participants.

All interested parties are asked to fill out the Registration of Interest Form – open until August 20th, 2026.

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

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EUTI Training – Call for Applications: Training of Trainers (ToT): Communication & Conduct

EUTI Training – Call for Applications: Training of Trainers (ToT): Communication & Conduct

EUTI Training – Call for Applications: Training of Trainers (ToT): Communication & Conduct

The Centre for European Perspective (CEP) and the Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC), under the auspices of EUTI – European Union Training Initiative, will hold the Training of Trainers (ToT): Communication & Conduct.

The call for applications is now open.

This course is designed to equip participants, eg. trainers, to transfer expertise and knowledge to their target groups. It focuses heavily on inclusive communication and non-exclusionary communication approaches, systematically identifying and neutralizing hidden barriers that can marginalize participants. As such, it serves as a vital tool to ensure proper preparedness of peace operations personnel and the effective dissemination of updated peacekeeping standards.

  • Training dates: 7–9 September 2026
  • Training location: Jable Castle, Loka pri Mengšu, Slovenia
  • Target Group: Primarily police and civilian trainers and instructors involved in preparing personnel for national and international missions and operations. Also open to military personnel, mission staff, and professionals who regularly facilitate workshops or group processes.
  • Capacity: 20 participants.
  • Priority: Given to participants from EU Member States.

More information—including the full training agenda, detailed module breakdown, specific course learning outcomes, and logistics (travel and accommodation arrangements)—is available in the call for applications.

Application

Interested candidates must apply using the Application Form by 8 August 2026

1st Regional Roundtable on UN Peace Operations

1st Regional Roundtable on UN Peace Operations

“The First Central, Eastern Europe and the Balkans Roundtable on UN Peace Operations: Regional Perspectives on Strengthening Support and Advancing the Role of Training Centres” (hereinafter referred to as the Regional Roundtable on UN Peace Operations) took place at Jable Castle on 9 June.  

This international intergovernmental event focused on the future of regional engagement in United Nations peace operations. It was organised by the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia and the Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC), in cooperation with the Light Coordination Mechanism (LCM) in the Integrated Training Service (ITS) of the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO).   

With this event, Slovenia initiated a regional process, expanded in a “regional-plus” format, aimed at fostering regional cooperation in peace operations, developing the role of training centres, and strengthening cooperation with the UN and partner institutions. The event brought together representatives of participating regional Member States, observer Member States with speaking roles, the United Nations, partner institutions, and academia with the aim of strengthening regional cooperation, improving operational preparedness, and developing capabilities and training, including the evolving role of peacekeeping training centres. Peace operations are a key tool for conflict prevention, civilian protection, and post-conflict stabilisation.  

As the first meeting of its kind in the region, the event also followed the 2025 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin and recent mission developments, including  the upcoming closure of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) at the end of 2026, the event provided a timely platform to reflect on future priorities and lessons learned. Peace operations remain one of the most important tools of the international community for conflict prevention, the protection of civilians, and post-conflict stabilisation, but require continuous adaptation. They involve military, police, and civilian units that monitor ceasefires, protect civilians, and assist in rebuilding institutions and the rule of law. They reduce violence, prevent the spillover of conflicts, and create the necessary conditions for long-term peace and development.   

To ensure the successful and effective implementation of peace operations, countries must provide sufficient personnel, material, and financial resources, which remains an ever-present challenge in planning and executing these operations. Despite the current focus of many European nations on the war in Ukraine and their commitments within NATO, alongside Slovenia’s active participation in EU CSDP missions and operations, maintaining readiness and participating in United Nations peace operations remain a vital dimension of Slovenia’s approach to international security cooperation and multilateral crisis management.  

Countries in the region, including Slovenia, regularly face considerations regarding which UN missions to participate in, in what manner, with which units, and what or how much to contribute.  During its mandate as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (2024–2025), Slovenia actively contributed to discussions on the future of peace operations.  

Regional cooperation and the key role of training centres 

As emphasised by mag. Aljoša Selan, Acting Director General of the Defence Policy Directorate at the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia, future peacekeepers will require competencies that extend beyond traditional military skills. They will need to operate in complex information environments, understand emerging technologies, support the protection of civilians, engage with local populations, and contribute to integrated approaches involving military, police, and civilian actors. Training institutions, such as the Slovenian POTC, which was co-established, and is co-funded, and co-managed by the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, and the Ministry of Interior of Slovenia, and operates within the Center for European Perspective, therefore play a particularly important role in ensuring that personnel remain prepared for future operational requirements. 

Strengthening training, education, and professional networks is the primary answer to maintaining readiness, expertise, and influence during a period when traditional operational opportunities are becoming less frequent.  Furthermore, the Slovenian representative, Mr Selan, stressed that Slovenia does not see regional cooperation as an option, but as a necessity. It should develop along three main lines: first, closer links between peace operations training centres; second, joint training activities, exercises, and personnel exchanges; and third, a more coordinated regional approach within the United Nations system.   

The Head of POTC, Samo Selimović, added that when connecting these centres, this refers to highly concrete forms of interstate cooperation. This includes trainer exchanges, opening training courses to personnel from other nations, and the collaboration of centres in preserving and transferring skills, knowledge, and practical experience from complex missions, such as UNIFIL. 

Overall, the roundtable participants agreed that regional cooperation should primarily focus on fostering information sharing and lessons learned (e.g. from MINUSMA and UNIFIL), while also building partnerships on peacekeeping training, capacity building, and co-deployments. They emphasized that UN peacekeeping must be adaptable, shifting toward flexible, scalable models that rely on interoperability and preparedness. They also highlighted the importance of realistic mandates, noting that overbroad or unfunded “Christmas tree mandates” present a serious issue. At the same time, they concluded that investment in training is one of the most cost-effective forms of support to UN peace operations, as maintaining readiness today is less costly than rebuilding capabilities tomorrow.