Due to COVID-19 measures related to in-door gatherings only a smaller segment will be taking place on-site this year.

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MONDAY, 31 AUGUST 2020 

7.30– | Registration and Information 

@Rikli Balance Hotel

 

8.00–9.30 | Combo AmCham Business Breakfast: Collaboration between Businesses, State, Civil Society and Academia as the Right Response to the New Normal

@Rikli Balance Hotel, Arnold Hall

In partnership with AmCham Slovenia.

Any state wishing to rise to the challenges of the new reality will have to be a state with active citizenship, innovative business practices, agile public administration, and trusted academia and experts. In today’s world facing a dynamic shift, with fundamental changes in everyday life, business, and management, cooperation is a core value driving the progress of any modern society.  Having an open dialogue and a good model of broad stakeholder participation yields progress, innovation, fast decisions, proactivity and security, and what is more, guarantees the country a competitive edge and ensures a high quality of life.

What countries have the best models of such cooperation and are considered success stories at the global level? What is the level of stakeholder cooperation in the region and worldwide? What constitutes successful cooperation and what are the main ingredients for success? What can we do to improve cooperation at the national level and beyond?

 

Mr Igor Cesarec, Vice President, Global Economics Research, Citigroup; Founder and President, Emeritus, Association VTIS

Ambassador Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen, Deputy Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – DIGITAL SPEAKER

Mr Jure Leskovec, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Stanford University

Mr Jonathan Moore, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, United States Department of State

 

Views from the Business and Investment Sector:

Mr Jan Bervar, Cyber Security Architect, Conscia Group

Mr Joe Philipsz, Senior Director, Amber Fund

Mr Igor Zgrabljić, Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager, Google CEE – DIGITAL SPEAKER

 

Moderated by Ms Ajša Vodnik, CEO, AmCham Slovenia

 

8.45–9.30 | Gathering

@Bled Festival Hall

 

9.30–10.00 | Opening

@Bled Festival Hall

Address by Dr Dimitrij Rupel, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia

Welcome address by H.E. Dr Anže Logar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia

Address by H.E. Mr Borut Pahor, President of the Republic of Slovenia

Chaired by Mr Peter Grk, Secretary-General of Bled Strategic Forum, Slovenia

 

10.00–11.30 | Leaders’ Panel: Europe after Brexit and COVID-19

@Bled Festival Hall

 

Video address by Mr Thomas Bach, President, International Olympic Committee (IOC)

H.E. Mr Aleksandar Vučić, President of the Republic of Serbia

H.E. Mr Andrej Babiš, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic

H.E. Mr Boyko Borissov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria

H.E. Mr Giuseppe Conte, President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic – DIGITAL SPEAKER

Ms Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF) – DIGITAL SPEAKER

H.E. Mr Janez Janša, Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia

H.E. Mr Mateusz Morawiecki, Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland

H.E. Mr Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary

H.E. Mr Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia

 

Moderated by Dr Nik Gowing, International Broadcaster and Visiting Professor, King’s College, United Kingdom

 

11.30–13.00 | Foreign Ministers Session

@Bled Festival Hall

 

H.E. Mr Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission for a Stronger Europe in the World

H.E. Dr Gordan Grlić Radman, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia

H.E. Mr Ivan Korčok, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic

H.E. Dr Anže Logar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia

Ms Michelle Müntefering, Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office – DIGITAL SPEAKER

H.E. Dr Tomáš Petříček, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic

H.E. Mr Zbigniew Rau, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland

H.E. Mr Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary

 

Moderated by Ms Bethany Bell, Foreign Correspondent, BBC News

 

13.00–15.00 | Networking Lunch

@Rikli Balance Hotel

 

13.30–14.15 | Conversation with Mr Miroslav Lajčák, EUSR for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and Other Western Balkan Regional Issues

@Rikli Balance Hotel, Arnold Hall

Moderated by Mr Peter Grk, Secretary-General of Bled Strategic Forum

 

14.30–16.00 | European Security and Asymmetric Threats

@Rikli Balance Hotel, Arnold Hall

In partnership with the George C. Marshall European Centre for Security Studies and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia.

After the end of the Cold War, European security architecture has never been under more stress than today. The future of the Open Skies Treaty, a landmark arms control mechanism signed in 1992, is in doubt because of compliance issues. These include restrictions on observation flights over Kaliningrad where Anti-Access/Area Denial measures have been deployed. The security environment in Europe is also being altered by an increasing entanglement of conventional and nuclear systems and the existence of the destabilizing “escalate-to-win” doctrine. The COVID-19 crisis contributed to the existing challenges by causing a suspension of verification activities and confidence and security-building measures while encouraging disinformation campaigns. This proliferation of hybrid threats is exacerbated by the refusal of some actors to even acknowledge them. European security, therefore, seems increasingly precarious, while the possibility of another COVID-19 wave could put additional strain on defence systems at the national level, while also placing European defence budgets under pressure.

What is the future of arms control in Europe? How can a meaningful dialogue on asymmetric threats be established among different actors? What are the prospects for a post-COVID-19 European security architecture? Can increased cooperation between the EU and NATO provide the necessary answers?

 

Mr Matt Boyse, Deputy Assistant Secretary overseeing policy towards Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Lt. Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe

Ambassador Bettina Cadenbach, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – DIGITAL SPEAKER

Mr Pawel Herczynski, Managing Director for CSDP and Crisis Response, European External Action Service (EEAS) – DIGITAL SPEAKER

Dr Matthew Rhodes, Professor of National Security Studies and Area Studies Chair, Marshall Center

Mr Matej Tonin, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia

Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Officer-in-Charge/Secretary General, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

 

Moderated by Ambassador Iztok Mirošič, Ambassador-at-Large / Special Envoy of the Minister and BSF Programme Director, Slovenia

 

15.50–16.00 | Presentation of the BSF Distinguished Partner Award 2020

@Rikli Balance Hotel, Arnold Hall

Mr Tone Kajzer, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia

Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Officer-in-Charge / Secretary General, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe on behalf of the OSCE

 

16.00–17.30 | Digitalization as the Driver of Economic Recovery in CEE

@Rikli Balance Hotel, Arnold Hall

In partnership with Google and the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia.

The COVID-19 crisis is fast-tracking digital transformation across the globe, and especially in Europe affected by extended lockdown periods. Even amidst immediate crisis management, governments have mobilized more resources than earlier to support digitalization as they see its immediate benefits. Countries that are skillful in exploiting digitalization and move decisively in this direction may be able to come out of the crisis better positioned both in terms of the economy and in terms of their international influence. Crucially, the CEE region has unique fundamentals in digital growth that persist despite the crisis. It possesses a deep talent pool, robust digital infrastructure, which has proven itself during the past weeks, and vibrant tech ecosystems while lacking legacy technologies.

Can digitalization be the key driver of growth in the CEE? What are the key barriers preventing such a development? How will the new post-COVID-19 geopolitical and economic realities influence digitalization in the region?

 

Keynote address by Mr Zdravko Počivalšek, Minister of Economic Development and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia

 

Dr Marko Grobelnik, Expert Researcher, Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Jožef Stefan Institute

Ambassador Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen, Deputy Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – DIGITAL SPEAKER

Mr Joško Mrndže, Country Manager Adriatics Region, Google – DIGITAL SPEAKER

Mr Christian Pawlu, Head of Strategy, Portfolio and BD&L, Sandoz

Mr Tiit Riisalo, Director of the Office of the President of the Republic of Estonia

Mr Simon Zajc, State Secretary, Ministry of Economic Development and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia

 

Moderated by Ms Katja Mohar Bastar, Director, Digital Innovation Hub Slovenia

 

17.30–19.00 | Is the Future of Cyberspace Only as a Domain of Conflict?

@Rikli Balance Hotel, Arnold Hall

In partnership with Microsoft and the Information Security Administration of the Republic of Slovenia.

Technology has become central to our lives, particularly as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The world is shifting to digital faster than ever before; digital technologies enable employees to work remotely, advance medical research, facilitate distance learning for schools, and help maintain relationships. However, there are some who seek to take advantage of this expanded reliance on technology. Of particular concern are malicious cyber activities hampering the ability of critical infrastructures, some of them, e.g. the health sector and research institutes have been at the frontline of the response to the pandemic. COVID-19 has also highlighted the importance of critical infrastructure, especially the security and resilience of communication systems, including 5G.

The panel will explore whether the only future for our common online environment is that of a domain of conflict. The panelists will touch upon what can be done to protect our critical assets, and particularly on what are some of the best practices to prevent, discourage, deter and respond to cyber threats, as well as on how governments can join forces with the private sector in that endeavour. It will also look at what can be done at the international level to hold perpetrators accountable.

 

Keynote address by Mr Boštjan Koritnik, Minister of Public Administration of the Republic of Slovenia  

 

Mr Richard Harknett, Professor and Head of the Department of Political Science at the University of Cincinnati, Co-director of the Ohio Cyber Range Institute, and Chair of the Center for Cyber Strategy and Policy – DIGITAL SPEAKER

Mr Casper Klynge, Vice-President for European Government Affairs, Microsoft – DIGITAL SPEAKER

Mr Juhan Lepassaar, Executive Director, EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) – DIGITAL SPEAKER

Mr Karel Řehka, Director, National Cyber and Information Security Authority (NÚKIB), Czech Republic

Mr Arne Schönbohm, President, Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), Germany – DIGITAL SPEAKER

Ambassador Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, Ambassador-at-Large for Cyber Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia – DIGITAL SPEAKER

 

Keynote listener: Ms Kaja Ciglič, Senior Director, Digital Diplomacy, Microsoft

 

Moderated by Dr Uroš Svete, Director, Information Security Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (ISA)

 

19.00–19.15 | Closing Remarks

@Rikli Balance Hotel, Arnold Hall

Mr Tone Kajzer, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia