CCDS facilitated a visit of Dutch military experts to Georgia’s Defence Institution Building School in Tbilisi on 5 July. The head of the school, Ms Tea Nikolaishvili, briefed the guests on the school’s mission, its scope of work and past and future activities.

Members of the Dutch delegation shared their experience in various activity fields: Brigadier-General Paul Hoefsloot spoke about the Netherlands Veterans Institute, outlining three main directions of its work: recognition and appreciation; knowledge and research; and care concepts. His presentation was followed by Dr Eric Vermetten’s brief on the care system for veterans, main challenges in this area, identifying psychological issues in servicemen, dealing with PTSD, etc.

Ms Caecilia Van Peski of the Netherlands Defence Ministry briefly spoke about her experience in military service and peacekeeping missions. Ms Van Peski also overviewed the current EU security system, focusing on the new challenges and threats that emerged after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The meeting was part of the visit of the Netherlands' delegation of military experts to Georgia organized by the Georgian State Service of Veterans’ Affairs and facilitated by the Civil Council for Defense and Security.

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