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GETTING TO KNOW NATO
NATO HQ
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-86A46BC2-2F03AD7E/natolive/news_89265.htm
July 27 2012
Three young people from Armenia, Russia and the United Kingdom were
among 20 competition winners to win a trip to NATO's Chicago Summit
in May. Upon returning home, they took time to reflect on their
experiences.
Called 'iReps' the winners, from as far and wide as Libya and
Indonesia, spent three days talking to NATO and national officials in
the margins of the Chicago Summit. They also debated the challenges
facing international peace and security with their peers.
"Having a chance to penetrate deeply into the NATO's goals and mission,
realising and analysing them, I found it surprising to change my
stereotypes about it," explains Emma Ohanyan from Armenia. "[NATO
moved] from an aggressive organization into one of the world's
principal contributors in peace and security," adds the 23 year-old who
works as a Russian-English translator at ARKA News Agency in Armenia.
More than 300 people accepted the challenge of the 'iReps' competition,
submitting a one minute video explaining what peace and security
means to them. The winners flew to Chicago to take part in the Young
Atlanticist Youth Summit which ran in parallel to the main Summit
meetings. They discussed the same Summit agenda themes of Afghanistan,
future capabilities and partnerships.
"NATO is no longer confronted by one clearly defined threat, such as
was evident during the Cold War," says 23-year old Thomas Durham, a
graduate student from Durham University in the United Kingdom. "There
are, in fact, a plethora of many diverse and multilateral threats -
which make the peace building process behind NATO more relevant than
ever," he explains.
Evolving views on NATO
Twenty-two year old Ekaterina Markova is a student at the Moscow
State Academy of Law. After reflecting on the debates and opinions
offered during the Summit weekend, she was surprised to learn about
the involvement of non-NATO members at the Summit and the Alliance
as a whole.
Reflecting on the global nature of today's security challenges,
Markova says it is increasingly important for countries to work
together to achieve success. "The invitation to other non-NATO members
to attend the Summit is a good decision for making concerted solutions,
which entertain the opinion of every member of our common community,"
she adds.
Discovering that NATO's fundamental decision making system was
consensus based was also new to some of the 'iReps', according
to Durham. "The idea of equality between all NATO members was
particularly revealing. [Meaning that] each member has the power
to veto any decision made by NATO... [where] a general consensus is
required for each policy decision to be ratified," Durham says.
Looking back
Along with students from the United States, the 'iReps' were joined
at the Youth Summit by several Afghan Fulbright Scholars. "They were
fascinating," says Durham, "and at the same time wholly enlightening."
He feels the Scholars imparted a sense of "cautious optimism"
when discussing the challenges that lie ahead for the future of
Afghanistan. "[I learnt that] one should not always come from the
angle of being disappointed when dealing with Afghanistan - that in
fact, Afghanistan does have strong foundations."
Neither Markova nor Ohanyan could identify one element of the
experience as being better than the rest. "It was an exciting
opportunity for all of us to attend the press- conference of NATO
officials and heads of state and government, and be involved in the
process of discussion," says Markova.
Ohanyan adds that "meeting new friends from all over the world, having
the chance to hear their viewpoints on different issues as well as
hanging out in Chicago was just part of the fabulous experience."
The three iReps say they and their fellow winners came away from the
NATO Summit in Chicago with a better understanding about the inner
workings of NATO, as well as about their peers in other countries. "I
think, NATO is a very powerful organization that can defend not only
NATO member states, but also the whole world," says Markova. "That
is why NATO is important for peace and security."
NATO HQ
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-86A46BC2-2F03AD7E/natolive/news_89265.htm
July 27 2012
Three young people from Armenia, Russia and the United Kingdom were
among 20 competition winners to win a trip to NATO's Chicago Summit
in May. Upon returning home, they took time to reflect on their
experiences.
Called 'iReps' the winners, from as far and wide as Libya and
Indonesia, spent three days talking to NATO and national officials in
the margins of the Chicago Summit. They also debated the challenges
facing international peace and security with their peers.
"Having a chance to penetrate deeply into the NATO's goals and mission,
realising and analysing them, I found it surprising to change my
stereotypes about it," explains Emma Ohanyan from Armenia. "[NATO
moved] from an aggressive organization into one of the world's
principal contributors in peace and security," adds the 23 year-old who
works as a Russian-English translator at ARKA News Agency in Armenia.
More than 300 people accepted the challenge of the 'iReps' competition,
submitting a one minute video explaining what peace and security
means to them. The winners flew to Chicago to take part in the Young
Atlanticist Youth Summit which ran in parallel to the main Summit
meetings. They discussed the same Summit agenda themes of Afghanistan,
future capabilities and partnerships.
"NATO is no longer confronted by one clearly defined threat, such as
was evident during the Cold War," says 23-year old Thomas Durham, a
graduate student from Durham University in the United Kingdom. "There
are, in fact, a plethora of many diverse and multilateral threats -
which make the peace building process behind NATO more relevant than
ever," he explains.
Evolving views on NATO
Twenty-two year old Ekaterina Markova is a student at the Moscow
State Academy of Law. After reflecting on the debates and opinions
offered during the Summit weekend, she was surprised to learn about
the involvement of non-NATO members at the Summit and the Alliance
as a whole.
Reflecting on the global nature of today's security challenges,
Markova says it is increasingly important for countries to work
together to achieve success. "The invitation to other non-NATO members
to attend the Summit is a good decision for making concerted solutions,
which entertain the opinion of every member of our common community,"
she adds.
Discovering that NATO's fundamental decision making system was
consensus based was also new to some of the 'iReps', according
to Durham. "The idea of equality between all NATO members was
particularly revealing. [Meaning that] each member has the power
to veto any decision made by NATO... [where] a general consensus is
required for each policy decision to be ratified," Durham says.
Looking back
Along with students from the United States, the 'iReps' were joined
at the Youth Summit by several Afghan Fulbright Scholars. "They were
fascinating," says Durham, "and at the same time wholly enlightening."
He feels the Scholars imparted a sense of "cautious optimism"
when discussing the challenges that lie ahead for the future of
Afghanistan. "[I learnt that] one should not always come from the
angle of being disappointed when dealing with Afghanistan - that in
fact, Afghanistan does have strong foundations."
Neither Markova nor Ohanyan could identify one element of the
experience as being better than the rest. "It was an exciting
opportunity for all of us to attend the press- conference of NATO
officials and heads of state and government, and be involved in the
process of discussion," says Markova.
Ohanyan adds that "meeting new friends from all over the world, having
the chance to hear their viewpoints on different issues as well as
hanging out in Chicago was just part of the fabulous experience."
The three iReps say they and their fellow winners came away from the
NATO Summit in Chicago with a better understanding about the inner
workings of NATO, as well as about their peers in other countries. "I
think, NATO is a very powerful organization that can defend not only
NATO member states, but also the whole world," says Markova. "That
is why NATO is important for peace and security."