The Center for International Relations - with financial support of German Marshall Fund -  is initiating a project aimed at activating deeper integration of a network of think-tanks and  experts from the so-called Wider Black Sea Region and a number of EU and NATO member states. The Network’s purpose is to identify convergent challenges, threats and methods of dealing therewith, which ought to contribute to a revitalization of a sense of strategic, political and intellectual community on both sides of the Atlantic.

The area adjoining the Black Sea is increasingly attracting international attention due to the economic and political changes in the region of growing strategic importance for several major players, including Russia and China. In this context, the need for closer cooperation between the European Union and NATO member states, aimed at enhancing stability and security, as well as promoting democratic changes, assumes great importance.

CIR’s project aims to forge and maintain a long-term working relationship between expert circles from democratic states of the transatlantic community and those from the Wider Black Sea Region, whose countries are progressing towards democracy and market economy.

The proposed network building project will realize its objectives by:
•    Instituting three international expert Round Tables, during which specific issues will be discussed;
•    Establishing an effective Internet platform for further exchange of views, discussions and dissemination of knowledge and experience.

There will be three workshops devoted to crucial issues of project organised in selected countries. Information on the course of workshops as well as analytical analyses prepared by centres involved in the project will be available at CIR website www.csm.org.pl.