NATO Across Communities project launched in Leicester

ATA UK's "NATO across Communities" project launched in Leicester

On 30 June 2022, just as NATO’s Madrid Summit was drawing to a close, ATA UK launched an exciting new project titled ‘NATO Across Communities’.

The outreach programme, supported by NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division, was held in Leicester and consisted of an education programme which worked with sixth form college students plus a roundtable discussion with local community stakeholders.

To begin with, over 50 A-level Politics students at Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College participated in two seminars which explored NATO’s origins and founding principles before discussing NATO’s functions today. The seminars looked behind the headlines at how NATO adapted after the end of Cold War and how it continues to evolve in order to address the security challenges of today and tomorrow.

Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College

The seminars provided an opportunity for young people to raise questions and concerns. This included a closer look at the background and consequences of President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine as well as Finland and Sweden’s decisions to apply for NATO membership.

In the evening, ATAUK facilitated an informal roundtable discussion about NATO and broader international security issues with a group of local community figures.

Joining ATA UK’s David Hobbs and Riaz Ravat for these events were Brigadier (Retired) Stuart Williams – Chief Executive of the East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association – and Yusuf Desai – Fellow of the Institute for Statecraft.