By James Brooks
Public Affairs Office
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN (July 13, 2016) - Three George C. Marshall European Center faculty members traveled to Tbilisi, Georgia, last week to present at “Euro-Atlantic Security – Georgian Perspective” seminar held at the Levan Mikeladze Diplomatic Training Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.

Drs. Valbona Zeneli, Matthew Rhodes and Ralf Roloff shared their expertise at the two-day seminar that was part of outreach efforts of the Marshall Center’s Black Sea and Eurasia Program. 

“This was the first time we’ve collaborated with the Diplomatic Training Centre of Georgia.  The seminar gave us a very fruitful discussion with all the key agencies and institutions of the Georgia government.  ” said Zeneli.

More than 20 government officials from the Georgia government attended the seminar.  Officials participating came from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia; Administration of the President of Georgia; Office of the National Security Council of Georgia; Ministries of Defence, Internal Affairs, Economy and Sustainable Development, Corrections, Energy and Agriculture; Government of Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, Office of the State Minister for Diaspora Issues and National Defence Academy.

According to the Diplomatic Training Centre, Rhodes gave an American perspective on Transatlantic Security Relations and Russia and Euro Atlantic Security.  International crisis management in the European Union and the European Neighborhood Policy were topics shared by Roloff.  Zeneli shared her perspectives on Transatlantic Economic Relations. 

“This was the first time we co-hosted an event with the Diplomatic Academy of Georgia and I’m looking forward to the Marshall Center having a long term relationship with them,” said Zeneli.  “We have over 400 Georgia alumni and it’s one of our largest alumni groups.  The Diplomatic Academy helped us reengage with former participants and meet potential new ones.” 

The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies organizes more than 120 non-resident outreach events each year.  Through a strong partnership between the United States and Germany, the Marshall Center is able to organize seminars like this to have meaningful discussions at the strategic-level for positive security policy outcomes.