NATO’s future today are those who shape it tomorrow By Magdalena Kirchner
W
dialogue and two-way street education. What does collec-
hen NATO’s international and na-
tive defense really mean and what can be done to establish a
tional leaders talk about the future of
mutual
the alliance, they mostly refer to
generational terms? If our generation’s reality includes lan-
understanding
in
transnational
and
cross-
uncertainties, processes, whose
guage courses in Egypt and China, intern-
outcomes are unforeseeable yet, and
ships in South Africa and Russia, and jobs
to emerging challenges demanding
in Japan or Mexico, is Euro-Atlantic and
political and military adjustments.
territorial security really enough? And if
Much too little, they emphasize the
not, implying a greater commitment to
role of those, who will determine,
international crisis management and con-
how and to what extent NATO can
flict resolution, are we willing to invest
respond to those challenges and
political, military, and financial resources
who really constitute the future of
in what seems to be at a first glance the
the alliance. Twenty-five years after
security of others? The Atlantic Treaty
the Berlin Wall fell, nearly a third of those one billion people, whose
Participants of the `Nato‘s Future Seminar‘ (Source German Atlantic Association)
Association foresaw this issue in the early 90’s and as a response, founded its youth
security is an essential priority for NATO, have little or no
division, the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association or YATA in
actual memory of the Cold War or political repression in
its respective 36 national associations. Since 1996, YATA
Europe. Growing up in times of peace or distant wars,
has served as a leading international platform for young pro-
NATO’s
youth weren’t
fessionals in security and defense,
familiar with vocabulary
working alongside our ATA seniors
such as deterrence or col-
and fellow youth organizations to en-
lective defense until very
sure that young professionals have a
recently, and only from
voice in the policy-making world and
history and political science
direct access to national and interna-
classes.
tional officials.
Moreover,
eco-
nomic uncertainties and
NATO’s Wales Summit was dominat-
high rates of youth unemployment
limit
popular
support for increased de-
ed by the crisis in Ukraine, the subseAreva Paronjana and Brigadier Meyer zum Felde (Source: German Atlantic Association)
fense spending and costly military missions especially among those, whose security might be at stake if the alliance fails to deliver on its promise to protect and defend its member states. What could be described as a generation gap within NATO, can only be overcome by increasing Atlantic Voices, Special Issue
quent collapse of the alliance’s partnership with Russia, and a situation
where closing a key chapter of crisis management (Afghanistan) was nearly overshadowed by a massive security and humanitarian crisis on NATO’s Southeastern flanks, in Syria and Iraq. And yet, other tasks are looming large – such as providing energy security, adjusting to security (and 44