Dates and venue

The NISA Winter Session will be held on January 30th – February 6th, 2011 in Baku, Azerbaijan. January 30th and February 6th are the dates of arrival and departure. Participants will be accommodated in the Crescent Beach Hotel & Leisure Resort (Address: Crescent Beach Hotel, Salyan Highway Shikh Settlement Baku, Azerbaijan; Category: 4*; Tel: +994 (12) 497 4777; E-MAIL: info@cbh.az), where the Session will take place. Participants will have an opportunity of tour programs in Baku and surroundings. All successful participants will be awarded with a certificate.

Previous sessions of NISA on Euro- Atlantic Security Topics.

1. July, 2003- NATO Summer School “ Leaders of the 21st century”;
2. July, 2004- NATO Summer School on “ Changing NATO in the changing World”;
3. June, 2005 – NATO International School of Azerbaijan (NISA) Summer Session on “The Concept of Three Seas- Caspian, Black and Mediterranean”;
4. December, 2005-Jan 2006- NISA Winter Session on “Energy security in the Euro-Atlantic area”;
5. July ,2006-NISA Summer Session on “Perspectives of Euro-Atlantic integration in the region of Three Seas”;
6. December, 2006 – NISA Winter session on “Enhancing the security in the area of Three Seas: how to build a comprehensive approach”
7. July, 2007 -NISA Summer session on “Energy Security and Critical Infrastructure
Protection in the Euro-Atlantic Area”;
8. December, 2007- NISA Winter Session on “Peace operations in the Euro-Atlantic area:
Challenges and perspectives”
9. June, 2008- NISA Summer Session on “Crisis Management”
10. January, 2009- NISA Winter Session on “New Warfare and Modern Conflicts”
11. June, July, 2009- NISA Summer Session on “Maritime Security”
12. December 2009 – NISA Winter Session on “Cyber security”
13. July 2010 – NISA Summer Session on “Financial security”

Concept of the event.

While the dangers characteristic of the Cold War period had greatly diminished, complex new risks, which threatened Euro-Atlantic peace and stability, had emerged. These included terrorism, ethnic conflicts, violation of human rights, political instability, economic fragility, and the proliferation of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and their means of delivery. These and other matters establishing a new security environment compelled NATO to think about revising its Strategic Concept to reflect the dramatic changes occurred since 1999, after the adoption of the last Concept. The main goal ahead is to reshape the NATO’s core objectives, its missions, fundamental security tasks, plans and procedures under these new security circumstances.

At the latest NATO Summit in Strasbourg/Kehl on 3 and 4 April 2009, NATO nations tasked the Secretary General to develop a new NATO Strategic Concept. To facilitate the process, the Secretary General convened a group of experts to lay the ground for the document. Upon reviewing the experts’ recommendations and analyses and reactions of the parties involved in the discussions, the Secretary General elaborated his own draft of the document and presented it for the NATO nations’ consideration. The Concept is expected to be approved by the Allies at the forthcoming NATO Summit to be held in Lisbon on 19-20 November, 2010.

Discussions and events held and papers released up to date give the public a view that the upcoming Strategic Concept has to address, inter alia, the following key issues: modalities for implementing Article 5, crisis management, modernisation of defense and deterrence capabilities, missile defense, nuclear weapons, cyber security, military operations, Afghanistan, relations with Russia and energy security. In order to fulfill all of these commitments NATO has to work more closely with a broad spectrum of actors. Deepening its partnerships and seeking new partnership activities is vital in this regard. Also, comprehensive approach, where civilian and military actors would operate in a more coordinated manner is on the agenda.

Against this background, upon the approval of the Concept in the upcoming NATO Summit, NATO International School of Azerbaijan will organise a Winter School on the topic of “NATO’s New Strategic Concept: Perceptions and Challenges”, in order to contribute to deep perception and wide awareness among the young researchers and experts on what this document really says.

Issues to be discussed

* NATO’s Strategic Concepts since 1949
* From 1949 until the end of the Cold War
* The immediate post-Cold War period
* The Security environment since 9/11
* Underlying conditions and background of strategy reconsideration: targeting points of the new SC
* New Strategic Concept: New Security Environment
* NATO’s purpose and core tasks
* Defence/military dimension
* Political, economic, social and environmental factors
* Emerging security challenges
* New era of unconventional threats;
* Emerging security challenges in the Euro-Atlantic area
* NATO’s transformation for meeting emerging security challenges
* New Strategic Concept: policy outlines for next decade
* Areas of political influence
* Collective defense
* Crisis Management
* Out of Area Operations
* Transformation / Improving Capabilities
* Energy Security
* Missile Defense
* Nuclear Security
* Afghanistan
* New Strategic Concept: Alliance and Partnerships
* Security through partnerships
* Expected efforts to expand and deepen the current partnerships
* Expectations of the Partner countries from the NewStrategic Concept

Organizer and Partners

NISA is non-governmental organization that functions as research, education and information and training centre on Euro-Atlantic security and integration course. It has been officially registered in January 2007.The Government of Azerbaijan to a great extent is meeting the expenses of NISA activities as well as NATO Public Diplomacy Division. Due to the role NISA plays in the further promotion of Euro-Atlantic values and ideas, it would naturally rightful to expect further assistance by NATO and other partners.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan has always welcomed all projects serving to enhancement of public understanding and knowledge about NATO and Euro-Atlantic security issues. Ministry sees all these activities as solid contribution of civil society to developing Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation within the IPAP. That is the reason MFA has been supporting by all means the holding of the NISA sessions.

Public Diplomacy Division of NATO has rendered support for initiatives launched by the Azerbaijani NGOs, including NISA. There is a strong belief that PDD assistance to this winter session will be a valuable contribution to the developing Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation, including IPAP goals and objectives.

Methodology / Structure

NISA Winter Session will be rich in program with plenary sessions, working groups, round table and simulation game. Participants will be able to raise critical questions related to themes of the session during the meetings with invited experts and key governmental officials. The social program, including the intercultural evening will be the unforgettable part of the program. Participants are kindly asked to contribute to this evening with their traditional clothes, music, dances, drinks and sweets.

Participants’ Profile*

Participants can be young politicians, researchers, NGO, Government or Mass Media representatives and academicians working on security and related issues. Participants should be fluent in English, under the age of 35 and Nationals of NATO member states, Partnership for Peace countries, Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative countries.

*Please note that you can participate only once in NISA Sessions.

Financial procedures

NISA will provide scholarships to cover the expenses related to the local transportation, accommodation, meals as well as the social program during the event dates. Limited funds are also available to provide reimbursement of the travel expenses up to 60% of some qualified participants (provided that it does not exceed 300 USD for Eastern European, 400 USD for the Western European participants and 500 USD for the participants coming from the US and other parts of the world). Reimbursement will be made as a bank transfer after the end of the session. Therefore all selected participants should send their bank account details before traveling to Azerbaijan. If you are successfully selected then NISA will provide you with the needed official reimbursement document where all the needed information is listed.

There is no participation fee. Financial assistance requests for travel expenses will be considered individually. The request for the most economic travel expenses subsidization should be sent to NISA before the deadline by indicating the details of transportation reservation and price.

Visa Information

Those who will need to get a visa in order to travel to Azerbaijan should fill the appropriate box in an application form with the up to date data. NISA recognizing efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan will help to accelerate the process of issuing visas from the existing Azerbaijani embassies abroad and for those country citizens; where there is no Embassy of Azerbaijan will have a chance to get a visa upon their arrival at the Baku Haydar Aliyev International Airport. NISA will provide all the participants with required invitation letters.

Application procedures

Application must include the application form, detailed CV and 1 page long paper on “NATO’s New Strategic Concept: Perceptions and Challenges” and related topic. The paper must reflect applicant’s own writing and original thinking and be sent to the following e-mail address: nisacourses@gmail.com with the subject line NAME SURNAME/ COUNTRY/ NISA WS, as appropriate.

Incomplete applications (missing photo, incomplete application form, missing essay, CV) will not be accepted for selection. The deadline for the application submission is December 23rd, 2010. Only short listed local candidates and selected foreign participants will be notified by e-mail on January 3rd 2011. For more information regarding the selection information please visit www.nisa.az on a regular basis.

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