From 13th to 15th October former NATO Defense College (NDC) Course Members gathered in Rome for the Anciens’ Conference and Seminar, which has been held annually since its inception in 1954.
The traditional three-day event opened with a reception held at the Italian Army Officers’ Club on Thursday evening, hosting 133 “Anciens” from 20 different countries.
The Seminar took place on Friday, in the Main Auditorium of the College. Proceedings were opened by Lieutenant General Arne Bard DALHAUG, NDC Commandant and President of the Anciens’ Association.
Ambassador Claudio BISOGNIERO, NATO Deputy Secretary General, then took the floor. His timely and particularly well informed perspective on the topic “NATO and the Lisbon Agenda – Where Do We Stand?” introduced the first plenary discussion of the morning – a stimulating and wide-ranging exchange moderated by Dr Brooke SMITH-WINDSOR, Deputy Director of the NDC Research Division. This was followed by a panel forum focusing on “The Future of NATO Partnerships”, with a distinguished panel made up of: Dr Jaroslaw SKONIECZKA, Director of the Euro-Atlantic Integration, Partnerships and Cooperation Directorate, NATO Headquarters; Major General Brian DAWSON, Military Representative of Australia to the EU and NATO; His Excellency Hassan ABOUYOUB, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Italy; and His Excellency Dr Mahmoud KAREM, former Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Belgium and former Permanent Representative to NATO. The impressively broad and comprehensive discussion was again moderated by Dr SMITH-WINDSOR.
The last day of the Anciens’ Seminar, Saturday, is devoted to the Annual General Meeting. Just before the AGM, the agenda for the annual meeting of Secretaries of National Associations prioritizes the definition of common policies to support the College in its educational mission.
The Anciens’ Seminar provides an excellent opportunity for former NDC Course Members to meet regularly and share their different perspectives on the time they spent at the College, as well as for promotion of camaraderie amongst all Course Members present and past.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Kyla Cham, CAN C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN 
