Past Events

Winners of the YATA DAYS/PAYS Essay Competition Announced

From left to right: PAYS participant and Middle East Security Analyst at The Atlantic Council of Canada, Mr. Alexander Corbeil; DAYS participant, Student of International Law and Human Security at the University of Southern Denmark and Member of the YATA Denmark Board, Mr. Jesper Samson.

The Youth Atlantic Treaty Association’s Executive Board has the pleasure to announce the winners of the first ever YATA DAYS/PAYS Competition:
Mr. Alexander Corbeil from Canada, who participated in PAYS, and Mr. Jesper Samson from Denmark, who participated in DAYS.

These two first prize winners have won an all expenses paid trip to the upcoming 2012 ATA and YATA General Assemblies (to be held in early 2013). Their essays will be published on NATO’s new interactive platform, WE NATO, together with the second and third place winners from the seminars:

PAYS:
2nd place: Perchuhy Kazhoyan, Armenia
3rd place: Jose Maria Pinheiro, Portugal

DAYS:
2nd place: Marte Ziolkowski, Norway
3rd place: Ana Frangova, Macedonia

The participants of this year’s Danish Atlantic Youth Seminar and Portuguese Atlantic Youth Seminar were given the opportunity to write an opinion article/reportage about the seminar attended. They were asked to focus on one or several of the subjects discussed during the seminar, to keep the article at around 700 words and should to structure it as an engaging opinion article.

The YATA Executive Board would like to congratulate the winners and thank all of the participants for their contributions. We will link to the articles as soon as they have been published.

U.S. Election Night 2012 in Berlin

Written by Stefan Müchler,
Secretary General of YATA Germany

Members of YATA Germany and the German ATA.

Stars and Stripes, buttons showing President Barack Obama or his challenger Mitt Romney, as well as a diner, brought a real American election campaign feeling to the German capital on the night of the election. The German Television ZDF broadcasted live for many hours with Markus Lanz and Bettina Schausten from the venue, and YATA Germany was on the scene with many of its members.

On November 6th, possibly the largest U.S. Election Night in Germany was held in Deutsche Telekom´s capital representative office, organized by the US-Embassy, the German Council on Foreign Relations, the Atlantik-Brücke, the American Chamber of Commerce, the International Club of the German Foreign Office and the German Atlantic Treaty Association. The welcome note given by ambassador Philip D. Murphy was followed by a panel discussion entitled, “The Candidates and the Issues of the 2012 Presidential Race“.

In the course of the U.S. Election the German ATA presented a video contest for high school and university students. Their task was to shoot a short movie according to the motto “Dear Mr. President, come take a walk with me…“. Many groups took the opportunity to join the contest and deal with the American election campaign in a creative way. The three winning teams coming from the cities of Eppingen, Brühl and Erfurt were invited to Berlin to attend the Election Night as a special an unforgettable prize. The certificates were presented by MP, Omid Nouripour, and Secretary of State in the German Ministry of Defense and President of the German ATA,
Christian Schmidt.

Several members of YATA Germany took the opportunity to join the Election Night to follow the political discussion, analyses of first electoral results and to meet and discuss with fellow YATA members.

Round table discussion: The Future of the Eurozone

Written by Daniel Fazlić, member of the Executive Board
of the Youth Section of the Euro-Atlantic Council of Slovenia
and a student of Political Science at the Faculty of Social Sciences,
University of Ljubljana.

On November 8th 2012, the Euro-Atlantic Council of Slovenia and its youth section, in cooperation with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and the Slovenian Association for International Relations, organized a round table discussion on the future of the Eurozone. The panel included several renowned speakers from the field of economics who explained and further developed the idea of Euro-integration and the future of Europe as a whole.

Following the official welcome and opening speech by dr. Anton Bebler, president of the Euro-Atlantic Council of Slovenia and dr. Dietmar Dirmoser, director of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung office in Zagreb, Croatia, Professor Maria João Rodrigues, Policy Advisor of the EU Commission, presented a wholesome and comprehensive study of the present situation in Europe.

A number of notable Slovenian economists attended the panel and discussed the problem of completion of the European integration and the solving of the Economic and Fiscal crisis, which also lies in the lack of institutional responsibility in the European Union. They agreed that the lack of clear democratic responsibility and mediocre crisis management have pushed us into a situation where a decade of a wage-less or a job-less is
becoming a reality.

It became clear that the solution for the crisis in Europe cannot be seen as fast and simple. Although the problem is deeper than expected, it can be solved and some positive results can already be seen. It is vital to recognise two critically important factors for solving any crisis: the need for confidence and calmness, which will give us the opportunity to produce a long-term and sustainable solution.

To read a full report of the conference, click here.

Seminar: EU and NATO as Actors in Security Politics

Written by Elisabeth Overgaard,
Intern at the Danish Atlantic Treaty
Association (DATA)

Naval Officers

On the 31st of October 2012 the Danish Atlantic Treaty Association (DATA) and YATA Denmark, in collaboration with the Royal Danish Naval Academy, held a seminar on the role of the European Union and NATO as security political actors in a globalised and ever changing world. Present were 60 university students from all over Denmark and 20 officers from the Royal Danish Naval Academy in Copenhagen. The participants took part in workshops and lectures by prominent speakers and researchers from Denmark's leading research institutions.

During the seminar the students were given the unique opportunity to work in close collaboration with each other – combing civilian and military competences, with the object of acquiring greater knowledge on the European Union and NATO – including Denmark's engagement and role in all of this.

From left to right: President of YATA Denmark, Kia Gyldenholm, and Leader of DATA's secretariat, Søren Kyster Hvelplund.

Danish university students

The day started with lectures on the European Union and prospective developments of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. In the afternoon the challenges and future of NATO were tackled.

Key points discussed were NATO's role as a military defense alliance during history; the interoperability that is the great strength of NATO; the American re-orientation away from Europe towards Asia- Pacific; NATO – EU cooperation, military operations conducted within the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy; the impact of the financial crisis on defense budgets; the decline of Europe and the menacing fragmentation of Europe with a strong Germany at the heart of the continent setting the political agenda in the European Union.

It was a very successful day with participants as well as speakers doing their utmost to make it a day to remember. We, at the Danish Atlantic Treaty Association and YATA Denmark, would like to thank everyone for their engagement in this seminar and we hope to see you all next year.

From left to right: Secretary General of DATA, Troels Frøling, and Denmark's Ambassador to NATO, Carsten Søndergaard.

YATA Denmark Volunteers. From left to right: Nicolai Trudsøe Trock and Jesper Samson.

Part of the Danish fleet.

YATA Participates in NATO Conference in Slovenia

A Conference on Partnership Policy and Smart Defence in the Context of the New NATO Strategic Concept, took place from the 25th to 27th of September 2012 at the Slovenian Training Centre Poljče, near Bled, Slovenia. It was co-organized by RACVIAC - the Centre for Security Cooperation, the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia and NATO's Public Diplomacy Division.

The purpose of the event was to foster and support partnership and Smart Defence by prompting participants to discuss, share and exchange information and best practices. The conference saw the participation of over 35 representatives from seven countries and 10 participants from YATA National Chapters in Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia as well as representatives from the national MoD’s, professors and NGO’s.

YATA Germany at the Berlin Air Show 2012

Written by Stefan Müchler, Secretary General of YATA Germany

For years, the Berlin Air Show (ILA) has been a magnet for flight enthusiasts from around the world. Being one of the largest Air Shows worldwide, the ILA also offers a highly regarded Career Center, which was larger than ever before this year.
For the second time, YATA Germany was present at the event, in order to represent the German ATA and YATA Germany in front of a broader audience, to raise awareness of the importance of topics on international relations and cooperation, as well as to reach out to young people willing to engage in these issues.

YATA Germany was part of the Career Center's official onstage program. Captain Thomas Meissner from the German Air Force, gave a presentation on current issues and challenges in the field of security politics and international relations. YATA´s logo could be seen decorating the exhibition booth as well as large posters on the walls of the Career Center.

As an official partner, YATA Germany was also mentioned in all brochures and catalogues and its logo was printed on tens of thousands of posters and flyers all over Berlin. It was even found on colored ads in the career section of leading German national newspapers.

The new Berlin ExpoCenter Airport was completed just in time for the exhibition, while the new Capital Airport next door still lies dormant. With direct connections to the southern runway, this new fair ground is specially designed to cater for exhibitions like ILA, offering fair halls for the national and international Aerospace-Industry, wide open spaces for presenting aircrafts of all kinds and sizes and conference facilities. The ground is centered by a large tower, enabling ILA to manage its broad flight program in the air.

For many plane spotters, a first time sight in the air was the new Airbus 400M freighter, giving an impressive presentation on its abilities. The German Air Force presented warplanes like the most modern Eurofighter, the Tornado and the slightly aged Phantom F4F, cargo and multi-use planes like the Transall and the Airbus 310-MRTT and helicopters such as Bell UH 1D and Sikorsky CH-53.

Another highlight of ILA was without doubt the new Lufthansa-Jumbo Boeing 747-800, which was baptized “Brandenburg“, by chancellor Angela Merkel and Branden-burg´s governor Matthias Platzeck.

Just for ILA, Emirates Air-lines brought one of their flag carriers - the Airbus 380-800- to Berlin. Not missing among the “flying giants” was the Airbus Company´s huge cargo plane “Beluga“ and the mighty “Starlifter“ of the US-Air Force.

Attracting more exhibitors than ever before in ILA´s history, the Berlin Air Show could strengthen its global importance as one of the leading venues of its kind worldwide. YATA Germany looks forward to taking part in the next Berlin Air Show in 2014.

Model NATO

Youth Summit

MoNYS organizers with NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

YATA Secretary General, Joao Freitas (2nd to the left), with fellow MoNYS delegates.

From the 8th to the 13th of July 2012, the city of Brussels hosted the world's largest simulation of NATO’s decision-making process to date. The ATA and YATA were partners in the project, helping to organize elements of the program such as a day at the European Parliament, an event at the Royal Belgian Military Academy as well as a Gala evening at the ATA HQ in the Club Prince Albert. YATA Secretary General, Joao Freitas, participated in the simulation in the role of co-chair of the North Atlantic Committee (NAC). See the full program of the week-long event here.

The 250 participants of the Model NATO Youth Summit (MoNYS) 2012 were divided into 29 delegations from both Europe and North America and engaged in debates based on a central theme: "Political responsibility through leadership, innovation and strategic thinking in the XXI century". Participants found themselves in the shoes of representatives from all of the NATO member states, enthusiastically working towards achieving peace and stability in the world.

Model NATO simulations have until now taken place in the United States and Canada, at an inter-university and regional level. MoNYS 2012 was an ambitious project, intended not only to spread, for the first time, the practice of the NATO simulations to the East, but also to become the flagship of such large-scale projects organized in Brussels. With the success of MoNYS 2012, plans are already being hatched for a new edition in 2013!

MoNYS 2012 addressed the topics of Smart Defence, military capabilities, emerging security challenges, the fight against cyber-attacks, the missile defense shield and the partnership action plan with the Caucasus countries. With visits to NATO and the European Parliament and meetings with high-level decision makers, a platform was created for students to enhance their consensus-reaching skills, alongside mastering the art of negotiation during the simulation.

For detailed information and interesting insights about the event, check out MoNYS Voice number 1, MoNYS Voice number 2 and MoNYS Voice number 3.

The Atlantic Treaty Association hosted the 250 MoNYS participants for a Gala evening at the Club Prince Albert, where the ATA Secretariat is housed.

Danish Atlantic Youth Seminar (DAYS) 2012

DAYS Participants gathered on the last evening for a Gala event.

The annual Danish Atlantic Youth Seminar (DAYS) was once again held by the Atlantic Treaty Association in cooperation with the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association from the 2nd to the 8th of July, 2012 at Aalborg Airbase. The 27th DAYS was held under the headline “Tomorrow's Challenges Today” and involved 22 participants from 15 different countries, stretching from Russia to Europe and onwards to Canada and the US. The participants gained insights into various subjects such as drone warfare, the challenges of the Arctic region, Smart Defence, the future role of international institutions, as well as various other challenges faced by the international society. The themes were presented in lectures, panel debates, workshops and discussion groups. Finally, the participants were given the opportunity to test their diplomatic skills in the simulation game, “Diplomacy and Crisis Management in the backyard of Europe: The South Caucasus”. The purpose of DAYS is partly educational and partly social, and the program contained a mixture of challenging lectures and debates, as well as social activities.

Intense discussion at a DAYS lecture.

During the seminar, lecturers from both national and international academic and military institutions visited DAYS, and presented their thoughts on the subjects mentioned above. The week-long seminar was launched with Per Carlsen, Danish Ambassador to Latvia, describing his view of the developing world environment and what the future international challenges will be in this regard.

International institutional actors such as NATO, the EU and the UN where explored by Senior Researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), Trine Flockhart; PhD-fellow at the Centre for European Politics (CEP), Maria Ruxandra Lupu Dinesen; and associate Professor at the Royal Danish Defence College, Peter Viggo Jakobsen. In the following panel debate, moderated by the President of YATA Norway, Marie Harbo Dahle, the three lecturers debated the extent to which - as well as within what spheres - these actors can and should act.

On a more practical level, the head of the Royal Danish Defence College, Rear Admiral Nils Wang, lectured on the present and upcoming challenges in the Arctic region.

This was followed by Director of the Institute for Strategy also at the Royal Danish Defence College, Mr. Ole Kværnø, who gave his thoughts on how the situation in Afghanistan will develop in the future. This was followed by discussion groups where the DAYS participants had the possibility of more in-depth questions.

Rear Admiral, Nils Wang, leading a discussion about the Arctic Region.

Finally, DAYS gave its participants an idea of how warfare may evolve in the near future. This was done in three lectures, each delving into the future of the western military machine from different points of view. DAYS had the pleasure of having Dr. Christopher Coker from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) giving his thoughts on “Drone warfare and what it means for the ethics of war”. In addition, Mr. Thierry Legendre, special consultant for the Danish Ministry of Defence, gave his idea of what Smart Defence is actually about. Last, but certainly not least, Mr. Henrik Ø. Breitenbauch, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Military Studies at The University of Copenhagen, took a step back and gave a view of the bigger picture as he lectured on the role of technology throughout the history of warfare and why this role is often overplayed.

Mr. Selim Percinel giving an introductory lecture about the South Caucasus.

During the last two days of the seminar the participants were thrown head first into the world of real political challenges as they were tasked with each playing the role of a nation in the troubled Caucasus region trying to secure its national interests.

This annual simulation game was coordinated under the watchful eye of Caucasus expert, Mr. Selim Percinel, MA in International Politics and consultant to the Danish Foreign Ministry, among others. Mr. Percinel worked to develop realistic obstacles for the different nations, so as to create an environment in which none of the actors felt completely secure.

In the end, the world breathed a sigh of relief as Russia did in fact not invade Georgia again, which may have put them at odds with the US troops present. However, South Ossetia and Abkhazia were recognized as independent sovereign nations by Georgia, as well as Russia and the US. What the future holds in store for these newly founded nations is anybody’s guess.

DAYS, however, is more than just the intellectual stimulation, it is also a social event for young people with a desire for international politics to meet from across the world. Through Danish folk Dance and trips to Skagen, Denmark’s most northern beach where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Baltic Sea, our participants formed friendships that we, the organizers of DAYS, sincerely hope will last. The water may have been cold, but the laughter and joy shared when we jumped into it anyway was anything but.

DAYS participants. From left to right: Laura Schabbing, Netherlands; Anna Ilavska, Slovakia; Jason Wiseman, Canada.

NATO Advanced Research Workshop:

"Sustained Emergency Relief- Regionally Developed Capacities"

From June 28th - July 1st the Euro- Atlantic Council of Macedonia, in partnership with the Atlantic Council of Albania, organized a NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Sustained Emergency Relief, which took place at Hotel ‘’Drim’’ in Struga, Macedonia.

The conference gathered more than 40 participants from NATO, Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Turkey, representatives of public institutions, university professors and independent experts in the field of crisis management.

The limited national resources and budget challenges of our time made particularly the second session, “Development of Regional Capacities for Emergency Relief in the Spirit of the Smart Defence Initiative”, particularly relevant.

The session aimed to create a platform to enhance a common approach between the countries from the region that can join forces and resources in order to build more efficient capacities for crisis management in the spirit of NATO's Smart Defence.

The workshop was a good opportunity for the new members, as well as future member countries of the Alliance, to develop their national views concerning regional capacities for help in emergency situations.

The Conference would not have been a reality without the hard work of a group of volunteers from YATA Macedonia who made up the ARW team and ensured the smooth running of the event.

Volunteers from YATA Macedonia

2BS (To Be Secure) Forum

From left to right: Vladimir Rajcic, President of YATA Montenegro; Retired Col. Fred Krawchuk, U.S. Army; Kristin Durant, YATA President.

On June 3rd–6th 2012, the annual 2BS (To Be Secure) Forum took place in Budva, Montenegro. This being only the second year of the Forum, the size and scope of the event was impressive.

The Forum was held under the title, "Security Challenges - Chicago Summit: What can the Western Balkans Offer?", and the answer to the question quickly became clear: a lot.

The Forum offered discussions on topics such as combatting organized crime and corruption, perspectives on NATO’s Smart Defence and the challenges of international administration in conflicts such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Most important, however, was the fact that the organizers, the Atlantic Council of Montenegro, had decided to host 15 YATA representatives who all participated in a debate with 2BS speaker, Col. Fred Krawchuk, Retired Special Forces Colonel of the U.S. Army before the start of the main event.

Colonel Krawchuk is an expert in conflict resolution and a writer – with articles published on strategic planning, terrorism, leadership, interagency collaboration, and strategic communication.

He was able to give insights into starting up and leading a variety of high performance military and interagency organizations - his most recent assignments having been at U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), and deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

From left to right: Vladimir Kokanovic, YATA Sebia; Jordan Tasev, YATA Macedonia; Ilija Djugumanov, President of YATA Macedonia; Iztok Stefanic, President of YATA Slovenia; Anja Ancelj, YATA Slovenia.

A YATA workshop was also organized, where the YATA representatives were able to float ideas and discuss challenges - as well as help each other solve them! Many of the YATA representatives were from South Eastern Europe (SEE) but had not met before. The YATA workshop and the time spent together during the conference created a movement to spur closer cooperation in the region. The President of YATA Macedonia, Ilija Djugumanov, in cooperation with other representatives from the region and YATA, formulated a project proposal for the establishment of a YATA SEE Working Group. More information about this group will be released soon.

YATA representatives at a reception hosted by Mr Lazar Rađenović, Mayor of Budva.

The Transatlantic Research Award Study Tour

On March 18th 2012, winners of the Transatlantic Research Study Award Tour joined YATA and the ATA in Brussels for a week long study tour. The winners of this competition were chosen by a panel of judges based on an essay that they submitted. The essays focused on new security challenges such as energy, food security, and cyber space.

During their study tour, the winners, in conjunction with a few European representatives, visited a number of key Transatlantic institutions and individuals representing the EU, and NATO. Participants also heard from a variety of speakers which challenged participants to think about the future of security, and their countries’ impact on the world.

Speakers came from various backgrounds, and the participants were able to have interactive discussions with people from NATO, ISIS Europe, the Royal Institute for International Relations, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and the South Asia Democratic Forum.

Visiting Geilenkirchen airbase with an AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) Plane in the background. From left to right, back to front: Giorgi Kriegler, NATO Public Diplomacy Program Assistant; Shihong Weng, TRA Winner - China; Klaudia Tani, European Delegate - Albania/Greece; Reshma Kamath, TRA Winner - India; Giuseppe Belardetti, ATA Programs Director; Gloria Paridi, European Delegate - Italy; Kristin Durant, YATA President; Thom Woodroofe, TRA Winner - Australia; David Alenga, TRA Winner - Ghana.

Introductory discussions on day one of the study tour. From left to right: Thom Woodroofe; Reshma Kamath; Shihong Weng; David Alenga; Gloria Paridi; Cosmina Chou; Klaudia Tani; Giuseppe Belardetti.

Another key component of the Transatlantic Research Study Award Tour was a discussion which revolved around the future of NATO, and Transatlantic Security. The purpose of this activity was to facilitate a lively discussion on the future of security with a diverse set of views. This was done through the creation of a statement.

Before attending the Tour, individuals were requested to create a statement on their beliefs about the future of security and NATO.During the week, participants discussed, debated, and explored each participant’s statement. Then, at the end of the week, the participants were challenged to create a common statement. In creating this common statement, participants were forced to explore their different views and work together to find a common viewpoint on the future of security. To view the statement, click here.

Following the creation of this statement, it was presented to NATO at an award ceremony held at the Club Prince Albert in Brussels on March 23rd 2012, where the winners of the first Annual Transatlantic Research Study Award Tour were honored.
Video interviews were also conducted during the week and will be made available on Youth ATA Youtube channel shortly.

The YATA/ATA TRA program was funded and organized in close cooperation with NATO.

Women and Security: Leaders, Targets, and Activists

On March 8th, the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association, in cooperation with its parent organization, the ATA, hosted an expert panel discussion entitled "Women and Security: Leaders, Targets, and Activists". The event was held in Brussels in honor of International Women's Day, and was an attempt to draw attention to the wide range of issues that affect women's security around the globe.

Pictured above: Deutsche Welle, German National TV, filmed the debate and conducted an interview with Dr. Babst during the reception.

The debate brought together four expert panelists to discuss a wide range of women's security issues. Among the topics discussed were the current status of women's rights campaigns around the world, the future role of women in international politics, sexual violence as a tool of war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the role of women in determining peace processes in Afghanistan and the DRC.

The expert panel was comprised of women leaders representing governmental institutions, NGOs, academia, and civil society groups. Among them were included: Dr. Stefanie Babst, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy; Ms. Norica Nicolai, MEP and Vice-Chair of the Security and Defence Committee of the European Parliament; Ms. Donatella Rostagno, Senior Policy Officer at the European Network for Central Africa (EurAc); and Ms. Marie Godin, Research Associate at the Group for Research on Ethnic Relations, Migration, and Equality (GERME) - Universite Libre de Bruxelles and PhD Student at the University of East London. The discussion was moderated by Ms. Kristin Durant, President of the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association.

Dr. Babst spoke of the role of women in NATO, how NATO has introduced the UNSCR 1325 into it’s formal structures, and what kind of role NATO can play in building security for women and setting precedents for women in security.
Ms. Nicolai touched upon the role of women within the formal structures of the EU, the importance of women’s participation in peace negotiations, and the promotion of women in military, defense and security institutions. Ms. Rostagno spoke of EurAc's position on the issue of violence against women in DRC and the complex societal and organizational structures that contribute to these challenges. Ms. Godin shared her research about the role of diasporas, and in particular women, towards peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction.

Overall, the panelists emphasized the importance of governmental institutions remaining true to the realization of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, and working to improve women's safety, particularly in the developing world. In addition, the importance of the continued efforts on the part of NGOs and civil society groups was highlighted, as well as the need for lobbying and policy suggestions as to the eradication of women's rights abuses. Above all, the panelists stressed that men must also be made to take part in the debate, and that women must continue to enter into politics and remain active participants in their local political scenes.

Among the participants were representatives from The Embassy of Jordan, International Crisis Group, Security and Defence Agenda, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, RAND Europe, and many others. Also present was Marianne Elizabeth Clingan, wife of Admiral Bruce Clingan, Commander, US Naval Forces-Europe (USA) and Commander, Joint Forces Command-Naples (NATO).

From left to right: Norica Nicolai, Kristin Durant, Stefanie Babst

Leangkollen Conference: Trans-Atlantic Values and Interests in a Multipolar World

On the 6th and 7th of February, the Norwegian Atlantic Committee hosted it's 47th annual security conference at Hotel Leangkollen in the snowy mountains of Asker, just outside of Oslo. For two days a group of international experts, professionals and activists gathered to discuss international security issues and reflect upon the status of shared values within the current global perspective. As a new addition, five YATA representatives were invited to take part in a panel debate about the future of Trans-Atlantic relations and give their inputs as to how younger generations perceive Trans-Atlantic values.

The opening session was held at the historic Nobel Institute, named after the businessman, inventor and peace-lover, Alfred Bernhard Nobel.

The Norwegian Minister of Defense, Espen Barth Eide, held the opening lecture at the Nobel Institute.

Jonas Gahr Støre, Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke of the future of Trans-Atlantic cooperation and introduced the youth panel.

The youth panel consisting of YATA representatives (from left to right): Sean Lobo, YATA Norway; Joao Freitas, YATA Portugal; Stephen Rakowski, YATA activist; Kristin Durant, YATA President; Marie Harbo Dahle, YATA Norway.

20th Annual Symposium of the Greek Association for Atlantic and European Cooperation (GAAEC)

The 20th Anniversary of GAAEC was marked on December 2nd and 3rd 2011, by an international symposium held under the theme of Transatlantic Security and Financial Crisis. The first day of the conference took place in the Amphitheater of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs and offered speakers such as the US Ambassador to Greece, Daniel Bennett Smith, and Arian Starova, Albanian Vice Minister of Defense. The second day focused on the role of NGO's in Security implementation and included a workshop on youth involvement and development.

Panel debate about youth involvement (from left to right): Kristin Durant, YATA President; Matt Kwasiborski (background), European Institutes Director of the Fund for American Studies; Katerina Loutzaki, GAAEC Public Relations Officer; Aliki Mitsakos, GAAEC Member.

Kristin Durant spoke about the importance of engaging youth in the security debate and gave some examples of how YATA plans to do this in the future. Matt Kwasiborski, and Katerina Loutzaki, presented programs for the upcoming International Institute for Political and Economic Studies (IIPES) summer school.

Youth volunteers (from left to right): Stamatina Stigka, GAAEC Intern; Leonidas Markantonatos, YATA Greece; Spyros Zenempesis, YATA Greece.

The Conference would not have been a reality without the hard work of a group of volunteers from YATA Greece and interns from GAAEC, who ensured the smooth running of the event.