On 15 February 2022, the NATO Defense College celebrated the start of Senior Course 140 and NATO Regional Cooperation Course 27 with an inauguration ceremony. Admiral Rob Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee delivered the Inaugural Address virtually.
NATO Defense College Commandant, Lieutenant General Olivier Rittimann took the floor to deliver his introductory remarks, “now more than ever, we need you as future leaders with a capacity to adapt and think outside the box”. He encouraged Course Members from both courses to take full advantage of the experience.
A total of 106 senior officers and civilians from NATO member and partner Nations gathered in the Main Auditorium of the NATO Defense College for the inauguration. They are attending Senior Course 140 – the College’s flagship course, which has been held for the last seventy-one years – and the NATO Regional Cooperation Course, which is the Alliance’s major educational outreach to Mediterranean Dialogue (MD) and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) countries, as well as for partners from the broader region of the Middle East.
Speaking from NATO HQ in Brussels, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Bauer delivered his Inaugural Address. During his speech, he touched upon some of the challenges NATO is currently facing, like the situation in and around Ukraine: “This is a critical time for our Alliance. NATO must remain vigilant by making sure we have enhanced vigilance measures in place to protect all Allies”. He also highlighted the adaptability of the Alliance since its foundation and the ability Allies and Partners have to learn from each other and build on their different perspectives of threats.
He reminded Course Members to seize the opportunities offered by both courses but also encouraged them “to embrace them and to learn to work together” by taking advantage of the bonds created between peers, and “use every minute” of their experience in Rome.
The Inauguration ceremony ended with a Q&A session on current events.
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NATO Defense College