Stockholm (5 June 2018) More than 150 policymakers, researchers and practitioners will gather in Stockholm at Fotografiska on June 11–12 for the international conference addressing the complexity of societal security challenges in the Baltic Sea region.
Co-hosted by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the conference will discuss strategies to provide safety for people and build effective resilience in the face of various incidents, ranging from climate change to terrorism and major infrastructural disruptions.
The transnational nature of many societal security challenges requires regional cooperation. Regional cooperation is not only more effective than the efforts of a single state but also a necessary aspect of national preparedness. Cooperation in the Baltic Sea region has been evolving to include societal safety and security issues on the agenda of regional institutions, including the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS).
Among others, session topics will include climate change adaptation, nuclear security cooperation, strengthening resilience against extremism, gender-based violence and approaches to reduce urban violence.
By convening experts and practitioners from the region, the conference will provide a platform for constructive dialogue and innovative thinking. As a result, the conference will form a basis to further build on existing institutions and frameworks for collaboration to address the societal security challenges faced by Baltic Sea states.
High-level participants include:
- HE Margot Wallström, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sweden
- HE Vladimir Titov, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Russia (TBC)
- HE Oleg Kravchenko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Belarus
- HE Annika Söder, State Secretary for the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sweden
- HE Audun Halvorsen, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway
- HE Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark
- HE Bartosz Cichocki, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Poland
- Rainer Saks, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Estonia
- Helga Schmid, Secretary General, European External Action Service
- Dagfinn Høybråten, Secretary General, Nordic Council of Ministers
- Maira Mora, Director General of the Council of the Baltic Sea States Secretariat
- Cecilia Daae, Director General, Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection
- Paola Albrito, Chief of Regional Office for Europe, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
- André Jol, Head of Group Climate Change Impacts, European Environment Agency
- Ambassador Jan Eliasson, Chair of the SIPRI Governing Board
- Bengt Sundelius, Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
Media are welcome to attend all sessions.
Contact SIPRI Communications Officer Alexandra Manolache to register for the event (professional media only) alexandra.manolache@sipri.org, +46 76 628 61 33.