The second edition of Defensa y Yo, a joint U.S. Embassy and Esglobal program that cultivates a culture of security and defense among youth, concluded with a trip to Brussels for the 12 winners of a nation-wide essay contest on the theme of security and defense.
During the trip, the students visited NATO Headquarters where they had the opportunity to learn about and discuss NATO priorities, including the new NATO Strategic Concept approved at the 2022 Madrid Summit. They heard from a diverse group of speakers on a wide range of issues including Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, engagement with China, the climate crisis, and cybersecurity.
The students also visited the U.S. Mission to the European Union to understand how the United States works with the EU to address shared challenges and NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen where Spanish Air Force officers demonstrated how Spain contributes to the collective defense of the region.
The trip was a great opportunity to foster Spanish youth engagement with security and defense issues and practitioners.