On March 21, 2011, the Executive Committee of the NATO Defense College Foundation met at Italy’s Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), to legally charter as a private Italian foundation. The event culminated a year-long organizational effort to launch this independent venture, and was led by the President of the new NDC Foundation, former Deputy Secretary General of NATO Ambassador MINUTO-RIZZO.
Amb. MINUTO-RIZZO signed the charter along with the other five founding members of the Foundation: General (Ret) Mario ARPINO, former Chief of Defence of Italy; Professor Stefano SILVESTRI, President of the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI); Dr. Franco DONFRANCESCO, Finmeccanica’s Vice President of Marketing & Commercial Development; Brigadier General (Rtd) Giancarlo FORTUNA, former Public Affairs Officer at the NATO Defense College; and the Commandant of the NDC (ex officio). Now formally registered, the NDC Foundation is seeking support for its endeavours from a number of other foundations, corporations and individuals.
The purpose of the NDC Foundation, in keeping with the principles established in the preamble to the Washington Treaty of 1949, is “to promote stability and well being in the North Atlantic area” and with NATO partner nations through education, research, and outreach on the challenges confronting the Alliance and their resolution. As such, the NDC Foundation represents an investment in Allied security, collective defense and international stability.
It does so, in large part, by educating those beyond the College who have grown up since the fall of the Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union, and who have no experience of the Cold War and the circumstances which led to the founding of the Alliance. It also contributes to a greater understanding of Alliance values and institutions in outreach to partner nations of all kinds. The Foundation provides a place and a means by which NATO and other nations may address their common security challenges in a more effective manner to promote the founding goals and principles of NATO.
Thus, the NDC Foundation provides support to the College in several ways. It supports the education of our course members, Alliance leaders and publics to better understand NATO and the issues confronting the Alliance. It supports research on issues confronting the Alliance and their resolution. And it expands the outreach of the College and the Alliance through overtures to partner nations and those interested in learning more about the Alliance and its policies.
Participation in the Foundation and its activities is open to those nations, foundations, corporations, and individuals from NATO member states and partners who support its aims and are willing to contribute to them. As nations struggle in a complex, uncertain economic environment, there is a need to establish and emphasize contacts and inputs from industry and the broader economic sector, private as well as public, in the education of NDC course members and the research the NDC conducts. Research and outreach in these areas, as well as on core issues of international security, are critical to future success.
An expanded Board of Directors of the Foundation will be formed over the coming months, and the NDC Foundation President welcomes the support of NDC’s national Ancien Associations in approaching companies to support the Foundation, and to explain the objectives and benefits of the foundation. The NDC Foundation is also developing a website (www.ndc-foundation.org) to assist with communicating the purpose and value of the Foundation.
NDC Public Affairs Office
NATO Defense College