The theme of our third seminar, which was ‘hybrid warfare and technology’ְ,
was quite topical.
After Bernard Siman (Egmont Institute) explained the concept of hybrid warfare, Lieutenant General Michel Van Strythem discussed the rise of drones in contemporary warfare and Dr Laura Vansina of BELOTAN examined Russia’s disinformation campaigns. Each of these topics, which strongly affect public opinion, was presented in a nuanced, interactive and well-documented manner.
Just as noteworthy were the presentations on more technical matters. Joseph Henrotin (ISC Paris) reviewed current trends in the field of military technology; Major General Pierre Ciparisse gave a presentation on cyber defence; Alain De Neve (RHID) discussed the militarisation of space; and Katleen De Meulenaere (DLD Defence) concluded with an equally powerful presentation on chemical and biological threats. A format that was greatly appreciated was the World Café, a highly interactive variant of the traditional group discussion, whereby auditors raise questions themselves and then discuss them with other auditors who share the same interests.
