The Ambassador of Türkiye to Italy, H.E. Mr Ömer Gücük, visited the NATO Defense College (NDC) on 23 November 2023 to gain a better understanding of the College and discuss further steps in the cooperation between the NDC and Türkiye.
The Ambassador was briefed by the NDC Commandant, Lieutenant General Max A.L.T. Nielsen, on the mission and activities conducted at the College. An important factor that distinguishes the NATO Defense College from national defence colleges is the collective focus of the courses, which goes beyond one singular national perspective and provides a space for open discussions and consensus-building, the Commandant highlighted.
Türkiye regularly sends a significant number of Course Members to attend the Senior Course at the NATO Defense College, and the Ambassador expressed a strong interest in furthering this cooperation and increasing the number of future Course Members attending the various courses offered at the NDC. “I had a wonderful experience here (at the College). It’s the first time that I am coming officially as an Ambassador. I saw that we (Türkiye) are actively participating in the work of the NDC, and I think that we have to do more and we will look at more cooperation areas”, the Ambassador stated.
The Commandant highlighted the importance of the visit not only to increase awareness about the activities of the College but also to understand how the NDC can contribute to further supporting Türkiye, a country that plays a significant role as a key Ally within NATO.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Sofia Carvalheiro, PRT C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN