Welcome to the Marshall Center

The Marshall Center has named Mr. Alvaro Ballesteros as featured Graduate of the Month for November.

Mr. Alvaro Ballesteros attended the Marshall Center LPASS 2007-4 course while assigned as the Executive Director, European Academy for International Training (EAIT), Granada, Spain. He then went on to assume duties as a Security Issues Expert in the Department of Security Awareness Issues at the OSCE Mission in UNMIK/Kosovo. On 01 April 2009, he assumed the position of Senior Political Officer/Liaison Officer for the OSCE Kosovo Mission in Belgrade, Serbia.

During his time at the Marshall Center, Mr. Ballesteros was impressed by the human and professional quality of the staff and his fellow course participants, which made the whole experience unforgettable. It offered him the chance to network and develop strong ties with colleagues from several countries and to establish a set of valuable contacts in the country where he currently serves.

It helped him to better understand the complexity of today’s world and especially the national perceptions of those key players he now has to deal with. “I feel that many international actors engage in world initiatives without having a true understanding of how other actors perceive themselves and the challenges ahead. Completing such an intense program as the one in Garmisch, with professionals from all over the world, has definitely had a deep impact on the way I understand world dynamics and my perception of “the others”. Many times, this means the difference between war and peace, success or failure, in a tough negotiation process.

The MC experience is instrumental in strengthening the value of multinational cooperation and problem-solving efforts which can have a true impact on creating a better world in the future, especially if we remind ourselves of the fact that the future starts today. The bonds formed at the MC with other alumni help in finding privileged ways for communication and conflict-prevention. Our daily actions are milestones in creating a better world for all of us. That is precisely the lesson to be learned from General Marshall’s legacy. I am deeply proud to be a part of the legacy of General Marshall’s efforts to make Europe a better place for all its nations. I keep a photo of General Marshall in my office to remind me and others about the potential within ourselves to make the world a better place.

This is not achieved through easy speeches or simple acts towards the gallery, but by working hard, identifying common goals, supporting our allies and friends, and looking for ways to face together the challenges and threats of the future. The MC experience is precisely about that, about sharing all what is good inside of us, defending our principles and offering an open hand to those who want to join our community of values.”