School of Euro – Atlantic Integration for Youth - First generation (NATO and Youth)

Centre for Monitoring and Research (CeMI) started in January 2012 with the implementation of the NATO and Youth Project in Montenegro, which was supported by the Commission for allocating part of the revenue from games of chance in 2011. Within this project CeMI aims to provide basic knowledge to young people about the content and aspects of the process of Euro-Atlantic integration of Montenegro, the nature and content of this process, the advantages and disadvantages that this process carries with them. Through the attendance of the three-month Euro Atlantic Integration School for Youth and participation in the seminar “Montenegro in the Process of Euro-Atlantic Integration: Neutrality or Collective Security”, the project will enable students to acquire and improve knowledge about the character of NATO organization, the structure and responsibilities of the Alliance, its role in the world, to full membership, and to the advantages and disadvantages that this membership brings with them.

Integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures represents a very significant, but also very complex undertaking that Montenegro stands for, since it is a process that will have far-reaching consequences for Montenegrin society as a whole, its economy and national security. However, in Montenegro, the population is still very much divided over whether our country should become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or not. Since 2006, since Montenegro has begun the process of Euro-Atlantic integration, the percentage of citizen support to NATO membership has not grown to a satisfactory level. Regardless of the activities that the Government is implementing in terms of increasing the support to NATO integration, a large part of the Montenegrin public is not adequately familiar with all the positive and negative aspects of integration. In this regard, the goal of the project is to adequately familiarize citizens with all aspects of membership that Montenegro, as a future member, awaits. Education of citizens about the character of the NATO Alliance, its historical development, its members and the enlargement policy, the role and missions that NATO has today in the world, relations with other countries and international organizations, with particular emphasis on the relationship of NATO and the European Union, the compatibility of European and Euro-Atlantic integration, as well as any possible obligations that Montenegro would have as a NATO member, positive and negative sides of membership, as well as possibilities for possible military neutrality of Montenegro, is crucial in meeting the necessary criteria and standards of integration. In this regard, through the attendance of the multiannual Euro-Atlantic Integration School for Youth, 30 participants elected among members of the councils of young political parties, non-governmental organizations, young journalists and students of undergraduate and postgraduate studies, who are socially engaged and aged up to 35 years old will have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the content and aspects of the Euro-Atlantic integration processes of Montenegro, all the advantages and disadvantages that this process brings with them.

The project will consist of three key activities:

organizing a three-month school for Euro-Atlantic integration for young people;

organizing a seminar on “Montenegro in the process of Euro-Atlantic integration: neutrality or collective security;

final press conference.