2023 NATO Youth Summit: NextGen Freedom & Security

Two people talking on stage at the 2022 NATO Youth Summit. — Image from 2022 NATO Youth Summit.

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On June 5, young people from Europe and North America will join a transatlantic conversation at the 2023 NATO Youth Summit, which takes place in Brussels and Washington, D.C.

Organized by NATO and William & Mary, the event will provide young participants with the opportunity to engage, build links, enhance understanding, exchange views and explore how NATO addresses challenges that the young generation sees as critical to their security. The issues covered will range from disinformation to the latest technologies, and from climate change to national defense.

Agenda

Please note the times and order of these programming blocks are subject to change.

A two-column table for organizational purposes.
Brussels (CET)
Master of Ceremonies [Brussels]: Dr. Kira Allmann ‘10, Senior Digital Strategy Officer, Manchester City Council; Incoming Director of Partnerships & Communications, Global Research Institute, William & Mary
09:30 - 10:00	Pre-Opening Welcome
10:00 - 10:05	Welcome & Introduction Ambassador Baiba Braže, Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, NATO
10:05 - 10:25	Tackling Bullies – of all sizes Influencer Martina Ptáčková
10:25 - 10:45	Diversity & Diplomacy David Quarrey CMG, Permanent Representative to NATO, United Kingdom
10:45 - 11:25	Discussion: Space, technology, and security Panel sponsored by Friends of Europe Thomas Dermine, Belgian state secretary in charge of space policy (inter alia) David Eagleson, Policy Fellow at the Pinsker Centre, Vice President of Cambridge Policy Forum and researcher on the Militarization and Disarmament of the Space Law & Policy Working Group of the Space Generation Advisory Council, Cambridge University Fatima El Kaddouri, International Committee of the Red Cross covering legal implications of new space developments
11:25 - 11:45	Panel Title - TBC Lieutenant General Lance Landrum, Deputy Chair of the Military Committee, NATO
11:45 - 11:50	Gaming Challenge: NATO vs. the EU Robin El Kady, Data Scientist, Information Environment Assessment Team, NATO HQ Uldis Elksnitis, Information and Communication Officer, European External Action Service
11:50 - 12:00	DROG Disinformation Game: How to go viral Delegates will play a disinformation game showing how to ‘go viral.’ This session will highlight all the techniques used, such as emotive language, wedge issues, and victimization.
12:00 - 13:00	Lunch & Networking
13:00 - 13:45	Climate Change & How It Changed My Life Adelaide Charlier, Climate & Social Justice Activist Rahmina Paullete, Climate Activist, Fridays for Future International Matthew Pye, Founder, The Climate Academy
13:45 - 14:30	Discussion: What does resilience mean for young people? Panel in cooperation with the Young Thinkers Initiative of the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) Moderator: Dylan Macchiarini Crosson, Researcher, EU Foreign Policy, CEPS Dominik Juling, Postgraduate Student at LSE; Young Thinker, CEPS Laura Lisboa, Space Officer, NATO Defence Investment Division; Young Thinker, CEPS Cédric Lombaerts, Attaché European Affairs, Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Young Thinker, CEPS Sofia Romansky, Researcher, The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS); Young Thinker, CEPS
14:30 - 14:50	Fireside Chat with NATO Head of State Pavel General Petr Pavel, (Ret.), President, The Czech Republic
14:50 - 15:10	Coffee & Networking
15:10 - 15:30	Witness History: How disinformation doesn’t go away Belgian Holocaust Survivor Baroness Régine Suchowolski – Sluszny, Chairwoman, Forum der Joodse Oganisaties
15:30 - 16:00	Closing Remarks (Belgium) & Opening Remarks (Washington, D.C.) Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General, NATO
Event in Brussels ends with reception, networking and some music. Event in Washington, D.C. begins.
Washington, D.C. (EDT)
Opening of the first NATO Youth Summit in the United States. Master of Ceremonies [D.C.]: Colleen Grace ’23, President, Ivy League Veterans Council; William & Mary
9:20 - 9:30	Administrative Instructions Colleen Grace ’23, President, Ivy League Veterans Council; William & Mary
9:30	Opening of U.S. Summit Dr. Kira Allmann '10, Senior Digital Strategy Officer, Manchester City Council; Incoming Director of Partnerships & Communications, Global Research Institute, William & Mary Colleen Grace '23, President, Ivy League Veterans Council; William & Mary
09:30 - 10:00	Opening Remarks Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General, NATO Q&A from Brussels and Washington D.C.
10:00 - 10:10	Welcome Remarks Katherine A. Rowe, President, William & Mary
10:10 - 10:15	Remarks The Honorable Robert M. Gates '65, L.H.D. '98, Chancellor, William & Mary
10:15 - 10:55	Diplomacy Through Sports: A conversation with leaders on and off the field Moderator: Jill Ellis ’88, L.H.D. ’16, National Soccer Hall of Fame; President, San Diego Wave, National Women’s Soccer League; Former Coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team Nadia Nadim, Forward, Racing Louisville Football Club William Smith ’14, Founder and Executive Director, LEAD Edu
10:55 - 11:00	Presentation of the NATO Women, Peace, and Security Award CAPT Kathleen T. Jabs, USN (ret.), Special Assistant to the President for Military & Veteran Affairs, William & Mary Jill Ellis '88, L.H.D. '16, National Soccer Hall of Fame; President, San Diego Wave, National Women's Soccer League; Former Coach of the U.S. Women's National Team
11:00 - 11:30	Defending Freedom with Allies Dr. Colin H. Kahl, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, U.S. Department of Defense Facilitator: Kathryn H. Floyd '05, Director, Whole of Government Center of Excellence, William & Mary
11:30 - 11:45	Networking Break
11:45 - 12:00	The US is Not Just in NATO: It is the core of NATO Ben Wheeler, Influencer, D1Wheeler Facilitator: Colleen Grace '23, President, Ivy League Veterans Council; William & Mary
12:00 - 12:30	Leveraging Data to Strengthen Democracy and Security Video message by Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President, Microsoft Moderator: Divya Mathew, MPP '19, Senior Policy Specialist, AidData, William & Mary Rachel Azafrani, Senior Director, Responsible AI, Microsoft Timothy Carroll '87, Weather and Climate Lead, Microsoft David Leichtman '00, Director, Corporate Civic Responsibility, Microsoft
12:30 - 13:00	Countering & Deterring Adversarial Threats: Russian invasion of Ukraine Moderator: Elina Beketova, Democracy Fellow, Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) George Barros '19, Geospatial Intelligence Team Lead and Russia Analyst, Institute for the Study of War Her Excellency Oksana Markarova, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United States
13:00 - 13:30	Break for Boxed Lunch Everyone will return to their seats for a working lunch
13:30 - 13:50	How To Be an OSINT Expert Activity Andrew Eaddy, Co-Founder, Third Image Media John Fowler, Co-Founder, International Intrigue; former Australian diplomat Michael Hilliard, Conflict Journalist, Host of The Red Line; Communications Director, The Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs
13:50 - 14:20	Countering Disinformation Moderator: Megan Hogan ’21, Eranda Rothschild Foundation Junior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics; Founder and Co-Director, DisinfoLab, William & Mary Ben Dubow, CTO and Founder, Omelas; Nonresident Fellow, Democratic Resilience, Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) Rear Admiral John F. Kirby, USN (ret.), Coordinator for Strategic Communications, National Security Council
14:20 - 14:50	Building Partnerships & Leading Through Diplomacy TBD
14:50 - 15:05	Networking Break
15:05 - 15:30	Video Presentations by NATO Allied Command Transformation & Council on Strategic Risks Luisa Freutel, Staff Officer (Strategic Issues and Engagement), Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Lieutenant Colonel ITA, Andrea Martorana, Staff Officer (Strategic Engagement and Coordination), Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Guido Buccardi, Sciences Po Paris Lorenzo Cavallon, Sciences Po ParisPablo Kevin Lopez Ortiz, Universidad de Navarra Kirellos Abdel Miseih, King's College London Elsa Barron, Research Fellow, Center for Climate and Security (CSS), Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) Michelle Ramirez, University of Alaska Fairbanks
15:30 - 16:00	Digital Transformation At All Levels TBD
16:00 - 16:30	Diplomatic Approaches to Security The Honorable Victoria Nuland, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, U.S. Department of State Moderator: Erin Battle ’13, M.Ed. ‘15, Associate Director, Washington Center, William & Mary
16:30 - 17:00	The Everyday Practice of Democracy Moderator: Professor Teresa Longo, Senior International Officer, William & Mary Sarma Gintere, Third Secretary (Communications, Public Diplomacy), Embassy of Latvia The Honorable Elizabeth Jones, Former Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, U.S. Department of State The Honorable Russell E. Travers ‘78, Senior Advisor, Office of Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Homeland Security; former Acting and Deputy Director, National Counterterrorism Center; and former Deputy Director of Homeland Security, National Security Council
17:00 - 17:05	Announcement of 2023 WMGIC x NATO Countering Disinformation Challenge Terra Stearns '23, William & Mary Global Innovation Challenge (WMGIC)
17:05 - 17:15	Reflections from NATO Allied Command Transformation General Philippe Lavigne, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation
17:15 - 17:25	Closing Remarks Peggy Agouris, Provost, William & Mary
Closing Reception