The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Centre for European Perspective, is organising the tenth, jubilee Bled Strategic Forum (BSF), to be held on 31 August–1 September this year under the title Visions of New Partnerships. The 10th BSF is being held in a year that marks a number of important anniversaries for the international community, including seventy years of the United Nations, forty years of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and twenty years of the Srebrenica massacre. In light of these anniversaries, this year's BSF will focus on the importance and role of partnership as a means for effectively attaining common objectives. It will address major issues of peace and security, economic and business cooperation, development and human rights, underlining the importance of partnerships. Participants will be addressed by Prime Minister Dr Miroslav Cerar and Minister of Foreign Affairs Karl Erjavec. President Borut Pahor will participate in the Leaders' Panel titled New Global Order: Confrontation or Partnerships.

The main panel will be followed by a panel titled Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict – One Year after the Summit. The panel titled Bridges of the Mediterranean: The Power of Intercultural Dialogue will address the topical issues facing the Mediterranean region, such as migration, foreign fighters, ISIS, etc. The panel titled Development Is a Global Partnership will address one of the key dimensions of development which will be at the core of the Europe. Year for Development and activities related to the post-2015 development agenda. During the debate on Strengthening the Fight against Impunity through Partnerships and Cooperation, participants will focus on the rule of law, the fight against impunity for atrocities and the promotion of international criminal justice, which are also priorities of Slovenian foreign policy. The major social and economic challenges in recent years include demographic changes which will be addressed by the panel The Ageing Society and Development: Is Progress without Change Possible?. The Western Balkans, a perennial topic of BSF debates, will this year focus on the geostrategic interests of other powers - Western Balkans: Region at the Centre of Geostrategic Deliberations). Therefore, panel participants will also come from outside the region (Russia, USA, Turkey, etc.). Accompanying events will include a night-owl and morning session on hidden dimension of international relations.
With a wide selection of topics and debates on business opportunities and economic cooperation (Economic Convergence in the Post-Global Financial Crisis Period, Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, A New Perspective on Transport, Building New Partnerships for a Strong Tourism Industry), Business BSF follows the interests of the Slovenian economy.
Young BSF will be held on 28–31 August, under the title Partnership of Visions, bringing together ambitious young leaders, diplomats, academics, NGO representatives and young entrepreneurs.

A list of participants of the 2015 Bled Strategic Forum is available at: http://www.bledstrategicforum.org/bsf/confirmed_participants.

More information is available at:
www.bledstrategicforum.org
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