Marshall Center Alumni Participate in the “NATO Summit in Warsaw: Implications for the Alliance and the Western Balkans”
By Barbara Wither
Alumni Programs
George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies
OHRID, Republic of Macedonia, (Aug. 29, 2016) – The “NATO Summit in Warsaw: Implications for the Alliance and the Western Balkans” workshop is being held Aug. 27 to 29 in Ohrid, Macedonia.
The forum, which is in its fourth year, is the outcome of the efforts of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies’ Macedonia Alumni Association, in cooperation with the NATO Public Diplomacy Division and the Marshall Center Alumni Programs.
Opening remarks included the Republic of Macedonia’s Minister of Defense Dr. Zoran Jolevski, U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia Jess Baily and Head of the Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to Skopje Ambassador Nina Suomalainen.
Baily opened his remarks by emphasizing the importance of the Marshall Center not only bringing people from the region to the Center, but also bringing alumni to such forums that assist all in the region “to meet the critical challenges we will face in the future.”
Twenty-three alumni from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Republic of Serbia will spend the next three days discussing how the decisions taken at the recent NATO summit in Warsaw will affect its members and partners in the region as well as what the future may hold for the Western Balkans.
Four panels with expert speakers from the region and international and non-government organizations, as well as academics led discussions along with working groups that will report on policy recommendations at the end of the event.