In the context of the 25th Anniversary of the CEI, the Italian Cultural Institute of Oslo hosted a seminar on 12 May 2014, entitled "Regional Co-operation, Economic Growth and Political Stability: the Central European Initiative and Euro-Arctic/Northern Fora in comparison". The panel of expert speakers included the Italian Ambassador to Oslo, Giorgio Novello and his colleagues from Sweden, Sverre Stub; Austria, Thomas Wunderbaldinger and Serbia, Milan Simurdic. Counsellor Tommaso Andria and former Hungarian Foreign Minister, Geza Jeszenszky were also present.
“With this initiative we want to highlight a success story and the persistent Italian commitment in favour of a forum promoting regional cooperation, unique in many ways. The core mission of the CEI is the support to European integration through multilateral diplomacy and project management” said Novello, identifying the key to success in six elements: flexibility, comprehensive approach, networking, focus on a few clear priorities, accurate financial commitment and flexible but adequate structure, starting with the Secretariat in Trieste.
In his speech, the Italian Ambassador also reiterated the continuous validity of the CEI acting as a bridge between the European macro-regions. A role to be enhanced with the launch of the new Adriatic-Ionian macro-region.
“With this initiative we want to highlight a success story and the persistent Italian commitment in favour of a forum promoting regional cooperation, unique in many ways. The core mission of the CEI is the support to European integration through multilateral diplomacy and project management” said Novello, identifying the key to success in six elements: flexibility, comprehensive approach, networking, focus on a few clear priorities, accurate financial commitment and flexible but adequate structure, starting with the Secretariat in Trieste.
In his speech, the Italian Ambassador also reiterated the continuous validity of the CEI acting as a bridge between the European macro-regions. A role to be enhanced with the launch of the new Adriatic-Ionian macro-region.