A representative of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute took part in the annual seminar organised by the Croatian Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, in cooperation with the Hanns Seidel Foundation, from 5 to 8 October in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

This year’s seminar was held under the theme “Protecting European Values in a Changing World: Navigating Soft and Hard Power”. The event brought together junior diplomats and civil servants from European Union Member States and the Western Balkans. The Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute was represented by Ms. Ana Rozovanska, Junior Expert at the Training, Research and Project Activities Department.

The seminar was opened with welcoming remarks by Mr. Karlo Kolesar, Director of the Croatian Diplomatic Academy; Dr. Markus Ehm, Regional Director of the Hanns Seidel Foundation; Ms. Aleksandra Markić Boban, Director of the Hanns Seidel Foundation’s office in Zagreb; and other official guests and speakers.

The training programme included lectures and practical exercises addressing the challenges of protecting European values in a rapidly changing international environment. Key topics included the protection of human rights, the use of soft and hard power, and the European security architecture, among others. Participants also had the opportunity to take part in a simulation of the European Union decision-making process.