By College of International and Security Studies
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (June 17, 2021) - The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies joined with the Ministry of Defense of Slovakia for an in-person defense roundtable prior to the start of the annual Global Security Forum in Bratislava June 15. 

Conducted under strict health protocols, the forum represented a return to live outreach engagement with the decline of COVID-19 infections. 

Marian Majer, Slovak State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense, and a Marshall Center alumni, along with Slovak Deputy Chief of Defense Lt. Gen. Lubomir Svoboda; U.S. Army Europe and Africa Deputy Commander General for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs Army Brig. Gen. Jed Schaertl; and Marshall Center Dean Dr. Andrew Michta, along with 30 other officials and experts gathered for the defense roundtable.  They discussed practical requirements for intensified defense cooperation in response to the changing security environment. 

This event, and the Marshall Center’s participation in the follow-on forum, continue the cooperation with the GLOBSEC organization, a leading security NGO in Central Europe.  During the roundtable and forum, Michta, Marshall Center Area Studies Chair Matthew Rhodes, and Director of Alumni Programs Chris Burelli had the opportunity to engage with the many GCMC Alumni attending the event in person.  

This year over 30 Marshall Center alumni participated in what has become Central Europe’s most significant international security forum. Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić-Radman, Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Naď, as well as Former Slovak Foreign Minister and current European Union Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Miroslav Lajčák were among the many distinguished Marshall Center alumni contributing to the event.