Panel Discussion “Enhancing National Resilience: Progress, Challenges, and the Way Forward”,

Panel Discussion “Enhancing National Resilience: Progress, Challenges, and the Way Forward”,

Date: (08-04-2025)

“Resilience shouldn’t sit only at the top — it has to live with the people. Strong communities are the foundation of strong national resilience.”

This powerful idea echoed across discussions during yesterday’s event on “Enhancing National Resilience: Progress, Challenges, and the Way Forward”, hosted by Rakovski National Defence College with the support of the U.S. Institute for Security Governance. The event brought together representatives from the executive branch, academia, and the private sector – a true milestone for Bulgaria's whole-of-society approach to resilience.

#CMDRCOE was actively involved, with its Director, Colonel Orlin Nikolov joining the third panel: “The Role of Academia in Building National Capacity – Expanding Engagement and Connecting Theory with Practice.”
Resilience is most effective when it is inclusive – involving humanitarian organizations, academic institutions, local communities, and government. The discussion focused on how academic institutions can contribute to national resilience by turning research into actionable policies, building effective partnerships, and reaching beyond the defense sector to engage society as a whole.

The event was opened by the Minister of Defence, Mr. Atanas Zapryanov, who underscored the need for coordinated national policies. Major General Stayko Prokopiev, Commandant of the Rakovski Defence College, also highlighted the College’s commitment to promoting NATO and EU best practices in resilience as part of Bulgaria’s national effort. The working sessions began with a keynote by Rebecca Eastwick-Haskell, Deputy Head of NATO’s Resilience Section, outlining NATO’s priorities in building allied resilience against emerging challenges.

CMDR COE is proud to support this shared vision and remains committed to advancing practical, inclusive resilience at both the national and NATO level.

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