The Euro-Atlantic Council of Slovenia and YATA Slovenia are pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 14th edition of Balkan SAYS – Security Atlantic Youth Seminar, which will take place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, from 10 to 12 September 2026.

Balkan SAYS is an established international youth security conference that brings together students, young professionals, researchers, and emerging leaders from across the Western Balkans, Europe, and the wider Euro-Atlantic area. The conference provides a platform for discussing contemporary security and foreign policy challenges while fostering dialogue, cooperation, and professional networking among the next generation of security experts and practitioners.

Theme of Balkan SAYS 2026

What Comes Next? The Future of Euro-Atlantic Security in an Era of Strategic Uncertainty

Under this year’s main theme, participants will explore some of the most important questions facing the Euro-Atlantic community, including:

    • Europe’s evolving security order amid changing geopolitical dynamics and uncertainty in the transatlantic relationship;
    • Defence commitments, capability development, burden-sharing, and the future of European defence;
    • Decision-making below Article 5 and responses to grey-zone pressure and hybrid threats;
    • External influence, societal resilience, and the protection of critical infrastructure;
    • The Western Balkans as a security stress test for European stability and EU enlargement credibility;
    • The future of diplomacy in an increasingly fragmented international environment.

What to Expect

The programme will feature:

    • High-level panel discussions with distinguished experts, policymakers, diplomats, and practitioners;
    • Exclusive one-on-one discussions with senior political and diplomatic figures;
    • Interactive workshops focused on real-world security and policy dilemmas;
    • Networking opportunities with participants from more than 25 countries;
    • A special social networking event in one of Ljubljana’s most iconic locations.

Eligibility

Applications are open to students and young professionals aged 20–35 with a background or strong interest in international relations, security and defence, diplomacy, geopolitics, political science, or related fields.

Accommodation and Participation

International participants selected for the seminar will be provided with accommodation by the organisers at the conference venue, Hotel M Ljubljana, for the full duration of the event.

Application Deadline

Applications are open until 10 July 2026.

Following the deadline, the selection committee will carefully assess all applications. Applicants will be informed of the outcome of the selection process on 17 July 2026.

Apply

The application form is available here.

For additional information, please consult the attached Balkan SAYS 2026 – Concept Note.

We look forward to welcoming a new generation of security professionals to Ljubljana this September.