2009-03-07
On March 12th and 13th, leading policy makers from Poland, the United States, and greater Europe will convene in Warsaw for the launch of the Warsaw Transatlantic Forum. This major initiative will recognize 10 years of NATO membership for Poland as well as 20 years of democratic progress since the fall of the Iron Curtain. With headline speakers including Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski, Solidarity leader Lech Walesa, and NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the conference will focus on a new Transatlantic Agenda and the emerging challenges that the Atlantic Community will face in the 21st Century.
The Warsaw Forum will begin on March 12th with an Atlantic Youth Day, bringing together youth from across Poland to engage in dialogue with political leaders and experts about the importance of the Alliance, the impact of membership on the central European countries, and the role of NATO in the future. Young leaders in Kabul, Washington DC and Kyiv will express their views to the Warsaw audience via a live videoconference link. During a special panel, participants will recognize the crucial work of Bronislaw Geremek, who contributed so much to Poland’s successful transition to an Allied democracy.
On March 13th, the Ministry of Defense will sponsor a major conference, in cooperation with the Center for International Relations, the Atlantic Council, and the Community of Democracies. This conference will bring together top officials from both Poland and the Alliance, along with top think-tank analysts and opinion leaders from the region.