Jun 8, 2006

NATO - co-sponsorship programmes with Partner Countries

The NATO Public Diplomacy Division runs an extensive public information programme towards the Alliance's Partner Countries. This programme includes publications in a number of Partner Countries' languages, sponsored visits by delegations of opinion-formers to NATO Headquarters in Brussels as well as co-sponsored conferences, seminars and workshops taking place in the Partner Countries themselves.

In every Partner Country, an Embassy of one of the NATO Member States operates as a NATO Contact Point, operating as a channel for disseminating information and facilitating programmes (see list of list of the current NATO Contact Point Embassies in Partner Countries).

The objective of this information programme is to disseminate in Partner Countries objective, reliable information about the role and policies of the Alliance as well as to generate a vigorous, open debate about security in the Euro-Atlantic area. Information activities are an important part of the work programme of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), the body which brings together both NATO Members States and Partners.

Building a cross-party consensus on security and defence policy is an important part of the process of creating stability in a democratic state and establishing a civil society. Such a consensus can only be achieved through provision of reliable information and a free exchange of views. Non-governmental organisations have an important role to play in contributing to this debate through publications, films, conferences, round-table meetings and other fora.

NATO's information programme aims, in particular, to support public discussion in Partner Countries of a very wide range of security-related subjects to encompass NATO's contribution to European security, including democratic control of armed forces and the principles of defence reform. Educational projects in this area are of particular importance, as are projects which promote regional contacts and co-operation.

http://www.nato.int/structur/oip/sponsors/intro.htm