Milan conference on NATO’s ongoing evolution
On 12 - 13 March 2009 in Milan, the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart organized a two day conference entitled “1949-2009: Sixty Years of the Atlantic Alliance between Continuity and Transformation”. The conference was sponsored by NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division, the Centre of High Defence Studies of the Italian General Staff and the Army Military Command in Lombardy.
More than twenty speakers from six NATO countries – including academics, soldiers and diplomats – discussed the long-run evolution of the Alliance and its role after the Cold War. The debate focused on NATO-EU relations, the concept of a “Global NATO” in its different articulations, relations with Russia, the transformation of NATO’s military forces, and the need to adopt a new Strategic Concept.
The conference continued a long series of activities on NATO organized by the Department of Political Science of the Catholic University over past 20 years. More than 150 people attended and the event received good media coverage.
Speakers included the Chairman of NATO Military Committee, Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola; NATO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero; and Ambassador Stefano Stefanini, Italian Permanent Representative to the Atlantic Council. The Chief of the Italian Defence Staff, General Vincenzo Camporini, prevented by his duties from attending, sent a paper that was read to the audience.