The NATO Regional Cooperation Course 30 concluded the second and final leg of Field Study 1 in Athens, Greece.
From 28 to 30 September 2023, Course Members were welcomed at the Hellenic National Defense College (HNDC) and attended a guided tour of the Acropolis and its museum. The overall programme provided Course Members an overview of Greece’s foreign and defence policies; the work conducted at the HNDC; as well as the opportunity to learn more about the city’s ancient history.
On the morning of 29 September, the Head of the NATO Defense College visiting delegation, Brigadier General Ferenc Molnar (Head of the NDC’s Academic Operations Division), held an Office Call with the Head of B’ Branch of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, Rear Admiral Ioannis Pattas, followed by a gift exchange.
Afterwards, Brigadier General Molnar departed to the Hellenic National Defense College (HNDC) and attended an Office Call with the HNDC Commander, Lieutenant General Spyridon Alfantakis, and the Deputy Commandant Vice Admiral Michail Demestichas.
The HNDC Commander welcomed the NRCC 30 Course Members, and briefly introduced them to the HNDC’s mission, highlighting that the “College has contributed significantly to the strengthening of cooperation between all the bodies of the state apparatus and the armed forces of the country, in the fields of security and defence, providing executives with a comprehensive understanding of all the parameters of the geostrategic environment, making them capable of handling matters of national interest”. The welcome address was followed by a gift exchange with Brigadier General Molnar.
HNDC Faculty Advisor Captain Alexandros Bogiannos and former NDC Faculty Advisor himself, then briefed Course Members on the structure and mission of HNDC, its academic programmes, courses, and cooperation-focused activities. Lieutenant Thomas Tsiaousis, of the Sea Border Protecion Directorate of the Hellenic Coast Guard, delivered a presentation on Greek immigration policy, by explaining the mission of the Hellenic Guard, followed by a comprehensive overviews of illegal migration, its main challenges, and interagency cooperation in this field with several agencies such as Europol and Frontex.
The final briefing was delivered by Counselor Nikolaos Sapountzis, Head of the Office of the Political Director of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Counselor Sapountzis delivered a briefing on “Greece’s Foreign Policy – Addressing Challenges and Building Partnerships”. He drew the broad strokes of Greece’s foreign policy, its principles, priorities, and main issues such as Greece’s position on Russia and Ukraine, Cyprus, Greece and Turkey relations, and managing migration. “At the center of this policy is the protection of human life”, he stated.
All the briefings were followed by a Q&A session, closing remarks and a gift exchange by NRCC 30 Course Members.
In the afternoon, Course Members attended a guided tour at the Acropolis Museum and the iconic Acropolis of Athens, where they immersed themselves in the profound historical and symbolic importance of these ancient treasures, gaining a deep understanding of its significance in the context of ancient Greece.
The visit to Athens concluded Field Study 1, an integral part of the NRCC 30 academic programme that gave Course Members the opportunity to learn more about the EU, NATO HQ and SHAPE operations in Brussels, as well as gain a deeper, firsthand understanding of Greece’s crucial defence and security matters from a national perspective.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Sofia Carvalheiro, PRT C)
NATO Defense College