Second Montenegro Summer School for Young Diplomats “Gavro Vuković”, Berane and Kolašin, 21-24 July 2009.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro with the support of UNDP’s Capacity Development Programme (CDP) organized the second Montenegro Summer School for Young Diplomats “Gavro Vuković” that started on 21 July 2009.

The tradition continued this year with the official opening ceremony in Berane, at the Memorial House of the outstanding Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs Duke Gavro Vuković after whom this School was named.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Milan Roćen emphasized that the organisation of the school for young diplomats is yet another proof of contemporary Montenegrin commitment to fostering good neighbourly policy and regional cooperation. The School has been devoted to possibilities and challenges the Western Balkan countries are faced with in European and Euro-Atlantic integration and it has been an excellent opportunity to exchange opinions and ideas regarding the current issues and processes in the region and to strengthen the dialogue among young diplomats.

The practice of the School has been extremely positive creating new preconditions for its continuity and development. Compared with the last year, the number of attendees was considerably larger and the list of countries sending their diplomats to this Summer School is gradually growing.

Young diplomats who attended the second Montenegro Summer School for Young Diplomats “Gavro Vuković” were Ms Mimoza Veroshi and Mr Ilirjam Cukaj (Albania), Ms Daniela Čolić and Ms Belma Sarić (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Ms Dubravka Popić and Mr Ivan Divić (Croatia), Ms Liis Lipre and Ms Helen Popp (Estonia), Ms Natalia Panourgia (Greece), Mr Costantino Tarducci (Italy), Mr Prindon Sadriu and Mr Haxhi Bajraktari (Kosovo), Mr Igor Kuzevski (Macedonia), Ms Cristina Mezdrea and Mr Catalin Hrisca (Romania), Ms Vesna Verčon-Ivić (Serbia), Ms Sanja Tomašević, Ms Ferida Mandić, Ms Violeta Berišaj, Ms Jovana Bogojević, Ms Valentina Knežević, Ms Milica Đuričković, Ms Vana Vojinović, Ms Aleksandra Zloković, Ms Jelena Milačić, Ms Ana Šćepanović and Ms Nina Ojdanić (Montenegro).

Lecturers at the Summer School for Young Diplomats were Professor Dr Gordana Đurović, Minister for European Integration of Montenegro; Mr Clive Rumbold, Head of Political, European Integration and Trade Section from the Delegation of the European Commission to Montenegro; H.E. Mr Roderick Moore, US Ambassador to Montenegro; H.E. Mr Branimir Jukić, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Montenegro; H.E. Mr Alexander Avanessov, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative to Montenegro; Ms Lisa McLean, Director of the National Democratic Institute; H.E Mr Mihail Florović, Ambassador of Romania to Montenegro; H.E. Mr Petar Turčinović, Ambassador of Croatia to Montenegro; Ms Sanja Elezović, Director of the Foundation Open Society Institute in Montenegro (FOSI ROM) and H.E. Mr Florian Raunig, Ambassador of Austria to Montenegro.

Lecture topics were: European Integration – Opportunities and Challenges - Western Balkan countries perspective; Integration of Western Balkans - EU perspective; NATO and the Region: regional cooperation as precondition for strengthening peace and security; Neighbourhood relations – characteristics of successful diplomacy; The role of regional and cross border development cooperation; The role of Parliament in foreign policy: countries in transition; Experiences of Romania as a new EU member state; Diplomatic negotiation and negotiation skills; The role of the civil society in the Euro-Atlantic integration process; The role of Diplomacy in the integration process: Austrian experience.

An interactive workshop on achievements and challenges in European and Euro-Atlantic integration was held (Individual presentations by young diplomat representatives from Western Balkans countries).