Roundtable Marking NATO Day Held at CIU

On April 7, a roundtable dedicated to NATO Founding Day was held at Caucasus International University. The event was organized by the NATO and EU Research Center.

The event took place as part of the undergraduate internship program and students of the Bachelor’s Educational Program in International Relations participated in it. Participants delivered presentations on a range of current issues and engaged in discussions on contemporary international security challenges.

As part of the roundtable, the following topics were addressed:

• Khatia Katamadze, Nur Hamam and Nino Ghaghanidze discussed the process of NATO expansion — from the Bucharest Summit (2008) to the Vilnius Summit (2023) — as well as future prospects, with particular emphasis on Georgia’s “Open Door” policy. 

• Nazibrola Pataraia, Mariam Chogovadze and Natia Silagadze examined NATO’s role in international conflicts — from Yugoslavia to Afghanistan and Ukraine — highlighting key issues that are especially significant for small states. 

• Giorgi Khuroshvili and Lela Beselia presented the topic “Myths about NATO”, analyzing widespread misconceptions and the narratives built around them. 

• Nano Gelantia, Lizi Kuchuashvili and Ketevan Imnaishvili discussed Article 5 of NATO as the Alliance’s core collective defense mechanism, evaluating the extent to which it can serve as a real security guarantee for Georgia.

• Nodar Kopadze, Guga Kalabegashvili and Nini Mikava reviewed NATO–Georgia collaboration within the framework of the Substantive NATO-Georgia Package (SNGP), assessing the dynamics of the partnership’s development. 

The event was moderated by Giorgi Pareshishvili, Head of the NATO and EU Research and Education Center, Advisor to the Rector, and Associate Professor. The roundtable was also attended by Alika Guchua, Head of the Bachelor’s Educational Program in International Relationsand Associate Professor.

The discussion was conducted in an interactive format, giving students the opportunity to engage in debates on current international issues and present their own perspectives.