October 20th-21st, 2023

8th ZAGREB SECURITY FORUM 2023

Transatlantic Cooperation and New Security Architecture

Organized by Hybrid Warfare Research Institute & St. George Association

at University of Defence and Security, Ilica 256b, Zagreb

 


Day 0: Thursday, October 19th, 2023


 20:00  Dinner for Speakers, Panel Chairs, and Guests of Honor  (Invitation only)


Day 1: Friday, October 20th, 2023


09:00 – 09:30   Arrival and Registration

09:30 - 09:45  Opening Ceremony


Assist.Prof. Gordan Akrap, Hybrid Warfare Research Institute, Zagreb

Mr. Alexander Beribes, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Berlin

Prof.Dr. Shlomo Shpiro, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan

Prof.Dr. Ivo Lučić, rector of University of Defence and Security Dr. Franjo Tuđman, Zagreb

09:45- 10.45  Keynote Speakers

Transatlantic Cooperation and New Security Architecture

- Dr. Claudio Palestini, Senior Science for Peace and Security Advisor, Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme, NATO, (online)

- mr. Karlo Ressler, Member of European Parliament, (online)

- ms Dubravka Šuica, Vicepresident of European Commission (online)

- General (ret.) Erhard Buehler, former Commander of KFOR and Joint Warfare Center

 

- Mr. Matej Tonin, fomer Minister of Defence, Slovenia

- Dr. Mario Banožić, Minister of Defence, Croatia (online)

 


10:45-11:15  Coffee Break

 

11:15-13:20  Panel I

Threats to NATO – from Cold war to Russian aggression in 2022 – Lessons Identified – Lessons Learned - joint Lithuanian-Ukrainian panel

Chair: General (ret.) Erhard Buehler, former Commander of KFOR and NATO Joint Warfare Center

Col. Viacheslav Semenenko, PhD, the Deputy Head of the Center for Military Strategic Studies, National Defence University of Ukraine: Developing Ukrainian resiliency against Russian aggression as a Comprehensive mode of actions

Assoc. Prof. dr. Gintaras Labutis, Military academy of Lithuania: European Green Deal for security and defence in the light of present war in Ukraina?

Col. Arturas Jasinkas, Ministy of National Defence of Lithuania: The role of Strategic Communication and Crisis Management in countering Hybrid Threats through the study and analysis of practical case studies of Lithuania

Col. Serhii Moiko, Military Academy of Ukraine: Peculiarities of Soviet /Russian Active Measures: comparative case analysis

Marzena Żakowska, PhD, War Studies University in Warsaw, and Witold Ostant, PhD, War Studies University in Warsaw: War in Ukraine - is Peace Possible? (ONLINE)


13:30-14:30  Lunch (one non-alcoholic beverage included)

 

14:30-16:20  Panel II

Hybrid Threats and Resiliency of Society

Chair: Prof.Dr. John M. Nomikos, RIEAS, Greece

Dr. Vira Ratsiborynska, Adjunct professor on NATO and transatlantic approaches to security, Free University of Brussels (VUB): Strategic security environment and NATO’s perspectives in developing effective Strategic Communications from 2014 till now (2014-2022) 

Dr. Anders Strindberg, Swedish Defence Research Agency-FOI, Sweden: “Democratic Security”: values and principles as critical assets 

Prof.Dr. Gilliam de Valk, University of Leiden: Four types of warning in CIP

Dr. Eleni Kapsokoli, University of Piraeus, Greece: Digital Jihad model: the case of ISIS 

Dr. Andrew Liaropoulos, University of Piraeus, Greece: Emerging Disruptive Technologies and EU Cybersecurity 


16:20-16:50 Coffee Break

 

16:50-18:50  Panel III

Russian Tools of Influence

Chair: Dr. Dorthe Bach Nyemann, Institute for Strategy at the Royal Danish Defense College, Denmark

Prof. Dr. Shlomo Shpiro, Bar Ilan University, Israel: Iran and Russia against Ukraine and Israel (online)

Prof.Dr. Darko Trifunović, Institute for National and International Security - INIS, Serbia: Chechen's and Night Wolves in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina – vectors of Russian influence

Dr. Barak Bouks, The Europa Institute, School of Communications & Department of Political Studies, Bar Ilan University, Israel: The Iranian Involvement at the War in Ukraine and its Implications on Broader Arenas - The Test Case of Unmanned Drones (online)

Ljubomir Filipović, PhD candidate: Russian vectors of influence against Montenegro – activities and consequences – Lessons Identified – Lessons Learned

Dr. Janis Berzins, National Defence Academy of Latvia: Russian Mental Warfare, Influence and Destabilization Work


19:00 Bus departure for guests of hotel Westin to hotel


20:30 - Networking dinner for all Forum participants, (two non-alcoholic beverages included)

 


Day 2: Saturday, October 21st, 2023


Introduction to second day of 8th Zagreb Security Forum

10.00-10.10 Prof.Dr. Lidija Tepeš Golubić, vicedean of Zagreb University of Applied Sciences: Introduction to Digital Forensic Education


10.10-12.00 Panel IV

Russian intelligence – important vector of Russian hybrid attacks – Lessons Identified and Lessons Learned

Chair: Liubov Tsybulska, Head of the Center for Strategic Communication and information security, Ministry of culture and information policy, Ukraine

Dr. Przemyslaw Gasztold, IPN and War Studies University, Warsaw, Poland: „Modus operandi of Russian intelligence services: from the Cold War to War in Ukraine”

Dr. Yaacov Falkov, University of Tel Aviv, Israel: Russian (counter)intelligence activities in Middle East (online)

MG (ret) Paul Hurmuz, former NATO Deputy Director of the Intelligence division and Senior Military Coordinator for JISR; New Strategy Center, Romania: The War in Ukraine and the Impact of the Russian Hybrid Warfare in the Extended Black Sea Region

Assoc.Prof. Thomas Wegener Friis, University Southern Denmark: Europe and Russian Foreign Intelligence in times of War

Asisst. Prof. Wladyslaw Bulhak, IPN, Poland: „An illegal method in Soviet-type intelligence work. The case of the intelligence of communist Poland”



12:00-12:20  Coffee Break

 

12.20-14.20 Panel V

Young Researchers Forum and Hybrid Threats Resiliency

Chair: ir. Yvan de Mesmaeker (M.Sc.Eng.), ECSA, Belgium 

Prof.Dr. Per-Erik Nilsson, FOI, Sweden: "Be Brave Like Ukraine" - Wartime Strategic Communication in a Time of Deep Mediatiation

Assist. Prof. Marta Vrbetic, University independent Scholar and Former Policy Fellow, Woodrow Wilson Center, Washingtn D.C., USA: Misusing the West's Bosnia Policy and Undermine Dayton

Celien De Stercke, PhD candidate and Prof.Dr. Jelle Janssens, University of Gent, Belgium: The weaponization of organized crime in the context of hybrid warfare: challenges for the Belgian security architecture

Margareta Gregić, PhD candidate, Jelena Božić, PhD candidate, University North, Croatia: Crisis management through verbal and non-verbal communication – Zelensky vs Putin

Tomislav Vazdar, PhD candidate, University of Zagreb: Uncovering the Strategic Culture of Hybrid Threats: How to adapt and Defend in Modern Age?


 

14.20-14.30 Forum Conclusions

Future Challenges, Joint Responses

Co-chairs: Assist.Prof. Gordan Akrap

The aim of this session is to integrate the lessons learned from the individual presentations of the previous two days, both in terms of threat analysis and of networked responses. Furthermore, this session will facilitate a wider discussion on the needs for joint capacity building, intensive inter-operability, and mutual multi-level crisis assistance.

 

14:40-15:40  Lunch (one non-alcoholic beverage included)



Important information:

  • Forum is organised according to pandemic situation in a hybrid way – “in situ” and online
  • Every activities will follow instructions and recommendations due to the disease prevention.
  • Forum organisers are reserving the right to change the Program according to the necessities.

Please use Sheraton Hotel Zagreb BOOKING FORM to accomplish the discount prices.
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