On 20th August some of the most influential minds from the world of strategic communications, media, defence and security, will gather in Riga to discuss how strategic communications can strengthen the defence capabilities of NATO in the new information environment.
The conference "The Riga StratCom Dialogue: Perception Matters", that will take place on 20th-21st August, has already attracted more than two hundred participants, including Heads of States, foreign and defence ministers, NATO representatives, as well as academics, journalists, defence and communications experts from NATO and partner nations.
The agenda of the conference includes topics such as the lessons learned from ISAF operations in Afghanistan, how NATO can improve its defence by using strategic communications, what is the role of social media in modern conflicts, and what communication methods DAESH is using to recruit new supporters and disseminate their propaganda.
“This will be the first high-level conference on strategic communications organised by the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, and hopefully it will become a long-term tradition to share the expertise on topical strategic communications issues”, said Jānis Kārkliņš, Director of the NATO StratCom COE.
High level session, “StratCom’s Role in NATO Transformation” will feature Mr. Raimonds Vējonis, President of Latvia, Dr. Laimdota Straujuma, Prime Minister of Latvia, Mr. Tomasz Siemoniak, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence of Poland, Ms. Marina Kaljurand, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Mr. Juozas Olekas, Minister of Defence of Lithuania, Mr. Edgars Rinkēvičs, Foreign Minister of Latvia, Mr. David Bakradze, State Minister of Georgia for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and other high ranking officials from the COE’s sponsoring, supporting and partner countries. The session will be streamed live on www.delfi.lv, www.delfi.lt, www.delfi.ee and www.przegladbaltycki.pl, on 20th August, from 15:00-17:30.
The inauguration of the new premises will be held on 20th August, Kalnciema str. 11b, Riga in the presence of Mr. Raimonds Vējonis, President of Latvia and Ms. Dalia Grybauskaite, President of Lithuania.
Information for media: "The Riga StratCom Dialogue: Perception Matters" provides complimentary registration to accredited journalists who apply using their media credentials. There will be no on-site registration for the conference. Journalists who meet the conference media registration criteria will be accredited on a space-available basis. Please, follow the registration link: http://bit.ly/1HUKLxV