BELGRADE – SERBIA

500+ participants / 80+ speakers / 20+ panels
BSC2024

18-20 November / SAVA CENTER

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November 20, 2024 BSC
The final panel of the day included the emotionally charged topic of lithium mining in Serbia, in the context of the Green transition towards carbon neutrality. While the panellists considered that lithium is part of the need for raw materials that is meant to make a more competitive Europe, they agreed that in Serbia it has been a public relations disaster.

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November 20, 2024 BSC

 

The panel focused on the participation of young people in reconciliation initiatives, as they have a unique opportunity to create peace. The panelists agreed that young people live in a difficult environment burdened by the past, which highlights the importance of facing it and understanding it to move forward. They concurred that the best way to build peace is to have an inclusive dialogue, allowing young people to humanize the Other.


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November 19, 2024 BSC

 

The Panel on the Middle East touched on sensitive and difficult topics, but it led to general agreement on many important questions. The panellists agreed that there is no clear plan for what happens in Gaza after the end of the war, but that the long-term peace perspective depends on a two-state solution, as the regional conflict cannot be solved through violence. They also agreed that the war between Israel and the Palestinians is more like a civil war, as there are no clear borders, making the eventual conflict resolution more difficult.


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November 19, 2024 BSC

 

The Panel on Non alignment and multipolarity reached a conclusion that there are many features of the world today that are reminiscent of the cold war, creating space more for neutral states to take a greater role. The panellists agreed that neutrality creates a lot of options and flexibility for states, especially in the role of conflict mediation, while choosing a camp comes at a high price and for many states not compatible with their national interests.


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November 19, 2024 BSC

 

The panel started with a keynote speech of Alma Zadić, Federal Minister of Justice in Austria. The subsequent discussion underscored a shared consensus: judicial reform is both a fundamental precondition and a cornerstone of the EU accession process. As such, it requires a long-term perspective, regardless of the argument that countries in the Western Balkans waited too long for accession.


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November 19, 2024 BSC

 

The stage for the panel was set by the Moderator, Marta Martinelli, Non-resident scholar at Carnegie Europe, who pointed to the very large number of conflicts around the world, where one in seven people experience some kind of conflict. The panellists readily agreed that the media do not give enough attention to conflicts outside of Europe, as well as to those conflicts which do not directly involve the geopolitical interests of Great Powers.


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November 19, 2024 BSC

 

The ongoing war in Ukraine was one of the topics of the second day of the Belgrade Security Conference. Panelists engaged in a thought-provoking conversation, offering their views on the possible outcome of the war with new political circumstances in mind. The main conclusion was that exactly 1000 days from the start of the war, help to Ukraine and cessation of hostilities are of the utmost importance.


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November 19, 2024 BSC

 

The opening panel of the second day delved into how and whether Europe can adapt to the emerging international crises and issues. Three key challenges identified include the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which directly threatens European security, economic and trade complexities involving China and the potential for isolationism and protectionist policies from the new U.S. administration.