DIPLOMATIC INSTITUTE

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1 DIPLOMATIC INSTITUTE Third Saudi - Bulgarian - Romanian Workshop April June The Diplomatic Institute hosted a seminar, dedicated to the relations between Bulgaria, Romania and Saudi Arabia Highlights 1 2 Trainings 3 4 Projects 4 5 Public lectures 6 Cooperation 7 Partners in the preparation of the event were the Institute of Diplomatic Studies of Saudi Arabia, the NGO Friends of the Arab World and the Saudi-Bulgarian Business Council. Fora 8 DOCENDO DISCIMUS At the third work meeting, held on the 23rd of April, it became clear that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will open an embassy in Sofia and later Bulgaria will do so too in Riyadh. The Institute s Director, Mrs. Tanya Mihaylova, expects that thus a boost in diplomatic relations between the two countries will be gained. Prof. Abdullah Alotaibi from the King Saud University presented his country s position on the Middle East crisis. According to Dr. Saud Altamammy, Saudi-Bulgarian relations could be developed not only based on agricultural business interests, but also on many other aspects of cooperation, such as IT and counterterrorism. Mr. Yaseen Al Suroor, President of the International Chamber of Commerce, emphasized on the possible Bulgarian participation in major Saudi projects. Prof. Vladimir Chukov suggested that Bulgaria and Romania form the foundation of a common regional market similar to the BENELUX group. 1

2 The Director of the DI on a working visit in the U.S. and the exhibition The See Brings All That Is Distant Together From the 11 th to the 22 nd of June the Director of the Diplomatic institute, Mrs. Tanya Mihaylova and representatives of the Institute made a working visit to the USA. The trip included visits to key institutions, as well as meetings with representatives of the Bulgarian community in New York, Chicago and Illinois. The reason for the visit was the opening of the exhibition The See Brings All That is Distant Together at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The exhibition is organized by the DI and the Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the UN, on the occasion of the International Map Year (2015/2016) held under the auspices of the United Nations and the International Cartographic Association. The exhibition includes maps of the Black Sea, prints and interstate treaties of the medieval Bulgarian royal office, all holding deep historical significance. The Diplomatic Institute, with the assistance of the Bulgarian Cartographic Association and Cultural Center GEOPAN, donated a collection of modern cartographic materials related to Bulgaria and the Black Sea to the library of the UN. Following their stay in New York, the delegation of the DI travelled to Chicago, where a meeting was held at the library of the University of Chicago with prominent Bulgarian academics, scientists and public figures in attendance. The delegation also visited the Holocaust Museum in the state of Illinois, where a memorial plaque commemorating those who saved others at risk to their own lives, bears the names of Bulgarian metropolitan bishops. 2

3 Diplomatic Institute Newsletter April-June 2015 Training seminar in economic on Economic Diplomacy From the 18 th until the 22 nd of May the Diplomatic Institute organized the fifth training seminar on Economic Diplomacy. The aim of the seminar was to raise the qualification of diplomats and government officials and also to optimize the coordination among institutions which are responsible for planning and conducting the foreign economic policy of Bulgaria. Among the highlights of the program was the study of the economic sector in a national, international and political context. От 18 до 22 май Дипломатическият институт организира пети обучителен семинар Икономическа Course in дипломация. Public Diplomacy Целта на семинара бе повишаване квалификацията на дипломати и Orientation Course in CFSDP държавни служители и оптимизиране на координацията между The Orientation Course on Common Security and институциите, Defence Policy занимаващи се с външноикономическата политика the на city България of Varna. и бизнеса. Сред акцентите в програмата бe took place from the 24 th till the 29 th of May in The course was organized by the Diplomatic запознаването Institute in с икономическия сектор в национален, partnership with the European College for Security междуна-роден and Defence. и политически контекст. The main topics of the course were related to the European Security Strategy, European civil and military capabilities for crisis management, security in the Black Sea Region as well as future perspectives for the CSDP. Negotiations Skills Training The Director of the Diplomatic Institute, Mrs. Tanya Mihaylova and H.E. Mr. Thomas van Orshot, the Ambassador of the Netherlands in Sofia, opened at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a course on Negotiation Skills Training in the context of the upcoming Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in The Course in Public Diplomacy that was organized for the second consecutive time by the Diplomatic Institute took place from the 8 th until the 12 th of June Its aim was to improve the skills of the state administration by presenting the main aspects of public diplomacy and its instruments, the role of media and NGOs and the importance of international experience. The Diplomatic Institute aims to provide high-quality training that corresponds to the high requirements for comprehensive training that the representatives of the state administration are faced with. The training was led by Mr. Ron Ton, Director of the Dutch Diplomatic Academy Clingendael, and aimed at enhancing the capacity of the state administration in the context of the 2018 Bulgarian presidency of the Council of the European Union. 3

4 Training for parliamentary secretaries A specialized training in diplomacy for parliamentary secretaries of the state administration organized by the Diplomatic Institute took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the 4 th until the 6 th of May. The participants attended lectures on protocol, etiquette and ceremonies. Training for magistrates From 10 th to 13 th May 2015 the Diplomatic Institute held a specialized training titled Behavioral analysis, psychology and body language for magistrates in Velingrad. This seminar is part of the implementation of the project Strengthening the effectiveness of the judiciary through training without boarders with the financial help provided by the Operational Program Administrative Capacity (OPAC), co-financed by the European Union through the European Social Fund and won by the National Institute of Justice. The Diplomatic Institute is a contractor of some of the trainings in the project related to the acquisition of specialized skills. Philatelic edition on the occasion of EYD2015 On the occasion of the declared by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union 2015 as European Year for Development, a postal philatelic edition was put into circulation that includes a postal card and a stamp. Mrs. Mihaylova opened the ceremony in which Mr. Rumen Alexandrov, the Deputy Foreign Minister, and Mr. Valery Borissov, Deputy Minister of Transport, Information Technology, and Communications, also took part. Essay contest Our world. Our dignity. Our future From the 26 th of February until the 20 th of April the Diplomatic Institute held an essay contest for university and high school students on the topic Our world. Our dignity. Our future to mark the European Year for Development The winners were announced in May and their essays were published on the webpage and Facebook page of the Diplomatic Institute. The award ceremony was held at the Library of the Diplomatic Institute and was attended by representatives of the UN and Cooperation for Development Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Commission in Bulgaria. In June the awarded authors visited the European institutions in Brussels and met with Bulgarian representatives in order to familiarize themselves with the work of the EU. They also visited the College of Europe in Bruges as well as imporant historical and cultural sights in the two cities. 4

5 Diplomatic Institute Newsletter April-June 2015 National Youth Contest The cultural and natural heritage of Bulgaria - Think today for our tomorrow The contest took place in the period from the 30th of April till the 30th of June on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of UNESCO. It was organized by The Diplomatic Institute with the support of the National Commission for UNESCO-Bulgaria, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Environment and Waters of Bulgaria. The contest was aimed at Bulgarian high school and university students, who participated with their own projects poster, postcard, video or multimedia presentation, which presented and promoted each of the nine Bulgarian sites in the UNESCO World Heritage List in view of their protection and effective use in the cultural and socio-economic life of the region. Nine first prizes were awarded one for each of the nine Bulgarian cultural and natural sites from the World Heritage List of UNESCO, and one of them took the very first place with a video dedicated to the Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo. Within the contest 115 submissions from 35 places were received. Journalistic Contest On the occasion of Europe Day (May 9), the Diplomatic Institute announced the first edition of an annual contest for the best journalistic material on the topic "The Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2018". The materials will compete for a prize in four different categories: television, radio, online media, and press. The awards are given for significant achievements in reflecting the preparation for the Presidency and raising the awareness of the Bulgarian society related to the European Union. The author of the best material among the four will receive The Award of the Year visit to the European Parliament in Brussels. In the beginning of 2019 The Big Award for the best journalistic achievement throughout the four previous years will be handed, when Bulgaria would have finished its six-month Presidency. Publications and Presentations Collection Future NATO The collection Future NATO, published by the Diplomatic Institute to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and the G.S. Rakovski National Defence College was officially presented at the Ceremonial Hall of the Central Military Club. The collection comprises the papers of both Bulgarian and foreign participants in the international conference, organised in 2014 on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the accession of Bulgaria to NATO. Diplomacy Journal In May 2015 the 13th issue of Diplomacy Journal was published, which the Diplomatic Institute started publishing in The topics presented in this issue are dedicated to the European Union, Regional and Global Issues: the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council, the preventive diplomacy of the EU, European defence and security, Bulgaria's Chairmanship of the South-East European Cooperation Process, The Middle East dimension of the Cyprus issue, China s strategy in the Big Black Sea Region, the deportation of Jews from Bulgarianheld territories in 1943, Migration pressure on South European countries. 5

6 Public Lecture by Mr. Bruno Maçães On the 28 th of May the Secretary of State of European Affairs of the Portuguese Republic, Mr. Bruno Maçães delivered a public lecture on The Future of Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Bruno Maçães highlighted that the European Union is a unique structure which expresses the creative human spirit, which is not founded on the basis of nation states as is the case of the USA but its Member States retain their sovereignty. Сборникът Бъдещето на НАТО Public lecture by Mr. Alain Grignard and Mr. Jean- Claude Pluymakers On the 3 th of June the Diplomatic Institute hosted a lecture on the topic The danger amongst us: Belgium's approach in the fight against terrorism and radicalisation, delivered by two high-ranking employees from the anti-terrorism authorities of the Kingdom of Belgium. Both experts were skeptical about the deradicalisation program in Belgium, which aims to inform young Muslims about the origin of religions. Public lecture by Mr. Janusz Bugajski On the 3 th of June the world renowned American political scientist and scholar hold a lecture on the topic Russia s Foreign Policy under Putin, organized by the Diplomatic Institute. Mr. Bugajski outlined a number of imperialistic goals in Moscow s policy to become a leading power in a multipolar world, to neutralize neighboring countries, and to discourage any potential or current candidates from becoming members of the European Union and NATO. He mentioned some of the elements of the hybrid war that he believes Russia has been waging. Public lecture by Prof. Tanja Miščević On the 19th of June the Diplomatic Institute organized a public lecture held by Prof. Tanja Miščević, Chief Negotiator in Serbia s accession negotiations with the European Union, titled Serbia in the process of negotiation with the European Union. Prof. Miščević introduced the audience to the extent of her country s preparedness in the negotiation process at present, as well as its plans for the coming year aimed towards advancing that process, putting particular emphasis on the challenges raised by chapters 23 and 24 which center on the rule of law, as well as chapter 35 in which the EC monitors negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina. Prof. Miščević called for support and cooperation from Bulgaria to Serbia on its path to European integration. 6

7 Diplomatic Institute Newsletter April-June 2015 Memorandum of Understanding between the Diplomatic Institute and the Diplomatic School of Spain On the 12 th of May, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Kingdom of Spain, Mr. Daniel Mitov and Mr. Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo y Marfil, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute and the Diplomatic School of Spain. The purpose of the memorandum is to deepen the mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields of training of diplomatic personnel and exchange of information. DI signed Memorandums of Understanding with Institutions from Shanghai A delegation from the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Shanghai Committee made a visit to the Diplomatic Institute, as a part of their official visit to Bulgaria. The visit was conducted at the initiative of the Consul General of Bulgaria in Shanghai, Mrs. Irina Beleva. During the visit, two memorandums of cooperation were signed, one between the DI and the Shanghai International Studies University, and another between DI and the Shanghai Public Diplomacy Association. The memorandums provide for cooperation in the spheres of academia, research and culture, as well as for exchange of expertise, training methods, lecturers, students, publications, etc. Over the course of the meeting, Mrs. Tanya Mihaylova, Director of the DI, and the representatives of the two Shanghai institutions additionally discussed concrete ideas involving further cooperation in future joint initiatives. Work Meeting with Hungarian Partners On the 20 th of May, a work meeting was conducted between Mrs. Tanya Mihaylova, Director of the Diplomatic Institute, and Mr. Marton Schober, Director of the Institute of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the development of the various fields of cooperation under the Memorandum of Cooperation signed in H. E. Mr. Andras Klein, Ambassador of Hungary in Sofia, was also present at the meeting. Cooperation with NATO s Crisis Centre On the 22 nd of May, Mrs. Tanya Mihaylova and Col. Vasil Rusinov, Director of CMDR COE, signed a Cooperation Agreement between the two institutions. The Agreement provides for exchange of experience and information, conduction of, and participation in, conferences, joint educational and research projects. As a first step in the cooperation, an expert from CMDR COE was a lecturer in the Orientation course on Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), organised by the DI. 7

8 Conference on The EU in a Changing Security Environment On the 21 st of April, in Brussels, a conference related to the European Security Strategy was held. Amongst the speakers was Mrs. Federica Mogherini High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Mrs. Tanya Mihaylova, Director of DI and representative of Bulgaria at the Board of Directors of the European Institute for Security Studies took participation in the debate. During her visit in Brussels she had a meeting with the Bulgarian representative in the European Parliament, Mr. Andrey Kovachev, on which they discussed future joint initiatives. Participation in Diplomatic Forums in Croatia In the period May, the Director of DI participated in the 17th Diplomatic Forum in Dubrovnik, organised by the Diplomatic Academy of the Republic of Croatia and the Central European Initiative (CEI). The forum was dedicated to the search for new approaches to the diplomatic practice. Mrs. Tanya Mihaylova participated as a moderator in the panel related to "soft" diplomacy. On 9 June, Mrs. Tanya Mihaylova also participated in a conference in Zagreb, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Croatian Diplomatic Academy. In her speech in the panel on modern diplomacy, she stressed on the fact that the Diplomatic Academy of the Republic of Croatia is the first international partner of the Diplomatic Institute, as well as on the participation of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Mrs. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, in the International Advisory Board of the Institute. The European Union a new beginning? On 21 and 22 May, a conference was held, organised by the European Studies Department to the Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski and the Hanns Seidel Foundation. An emphasis was put on the challenges that the EU is facing, as well as on the professional realisation of the students. Representatives of the Diplomatic Institute talked about the opportunities for development that the Institute offers an internship programme, essay contests, participation with publications, in seminars, and the newest joint initiative between the DI and the European Studies Department the Master Programme European Integration and EU Diplomacy. Upcoming Events September October Fourth International Workshop on Energy Diplomacy International Conference on Energy Security and Energy Infrastructure in South East Europe Diplomatic Institute to the MFA Sofia, 2 Alfred Nobel str. bdi@mfa.bg Tel: 02/ Facebook: Diplomacy Journal: 8