Connections

Introduction

Trying to identify the symbolic turning points with respect to Poland’s focused contribution to NATO’s Defense Education Enhancement Program (DEEP) is a complex task.To begin, it is necessary to mention the Twelfth Annual Conference of the PfP Consortium of Defense Academies and Security Studies Institutes. Poland was pleased to host this meeting in Warsaw, in June 2010, and to welcome a broad group of representatives from defense academies, security studies institutes, foreign affairs and defense ministries, as well as from other institutions dealing with security matters.

For many representatives from Poland, and especially the National Defense University in Warsaw, this conference provided a chance to confirm the importance of building networks of educators, policy makers, and practitioners in order to develop an effective defense education system. During the conference’s many debates and discussions, it was underlined that the PfP Consortium—as the key network that connects defense practitioners in Europe and Central Asia—directly contributes to building a better understanding of security problems and, in consequence, to ensuring the security of the societies in its member states. The meeting also gave the participants the opportunity to understand and share their similar perception of security. And the conclusion was that this “joint” perception can only be achieved and guaranteed through an education based on a shared foundation. And it was clear that, in the Polish case, Warsaw was definitely the best place for such discussion to take place, and that NDU Warsaw was the best institution to be directly involved.