On 20 May 2016, the NATO Defense College (NDC) hosted the closing ceremony to mark the successful conclusion of the fifth Senior Executive Regional Conference (SERC-5).
For the conclusion of this intensive and challenging week of study, dialogue and open discussion on strategic issues of particular relevance to international security, attendees were addressed on the last morning of the course by H. E. Mr Hekmat Khalil Karzai (AFG), Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, welcomed by Major General Janusz Bojarski, NDC Commandant; and introduced by Col Giuseppe Morabito (ITA A), Director of the NDC Middle East Faculty (MEF). Mr Karzai, who is the founding director of Afghanistan’s International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore, delivered an inspiring final lecture on Afghanistan and the security challenges in the region.
During the week, Conference Members were addressed by several distinguished experts in multiple panels and discussion sessions, examining a range of current challenges. They had the opportunity to attend lectures given by, among others, LtGen Danilo Errico (ITA A), Chief of the Italian Army General Staff; Gen (ret) John Allen (USA); H.E. Andrzej Duda (POL), 6th President of the Republic of Poland; Minister Diallo Mamadou Bathia, Minister of National Defence of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania; Ambassador Alessandro Minuto Rizzo (ITA), President of the NATO Defense Foundation; and H.E. Mr Hekmat Khalil Karzai, Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan.
Before taking leave of the NDC, SERC participants were able to enjoy an informal vin d’honneur and celebrate the conclusion of a most successful week.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Giulia Ferrandu, ITA C)
NATO Defense College