Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence

✨ Earlier this week, representatives from CMDR COE, CIV Atina Pashova and CIV Bozhidara Kiryakova, participated in the co-located Annual Discipline Conference for 4️⃣ of the most relevant NATO Education and Training Disciplines in the current security environment: Building Integrity (BI), Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC), Gender in Military Operations (GMO), and Integrated Security and Defence (ISD).

🛡️ Many important topics were discussed during the three-day forum. There was a shared understanding that current security challenges place NATO in a difficult position – neither at war nor at peace. All participants agreed that building resilience through a Whole-of-Society approach, and following the total defence example of Allies such as 🇸🇪 Sweden, is the best way to prepare for whatever the future may bring to the Alliance.

🙏 Our team would like to extend sincere gratitude to our hosts from NCGM, Department Head for GMO, as well as to the Department Heads for the other three disciplines: FINCENT (ISD), CIDS (BI), and CCOE (CIMIC).

🔝 It was an excellent event and a significant opportunity to identify and promote synergies, ultimately contributing to the operational effectiveness and capability building of the Alliance.

👏 Thank you to all involved, presenters and participants, for the inspiring discussions and the shared vision of how we move forward together.

Another 1️⃣8️⃣ students have passed the Building Integrity Course at CMDR COE

✨ This week, CMDR COE welcomed civilian and military participants from four nations to the fourth edition of the Building Integrity in Crisis Management and Disaster Response Course.
🪎 Over four days, participants explored practical ways to reduce corruption risks through transparency, accountability, and integrity, especially in crisis management and disaster response environments.
🇬🇧 Delivered by distinguished lecturers from the Building Integrity Programme of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, the course supports the development of integrity-focused capabilities and good governance.
🛡️ CMDR COE is proud to host this important training and contribute to stronger and more resilient institutions within NATO and beyond.

🏅 We are proud to announce that Colonel Orlin Nikolov, Director of CMDR COE, has been awarded the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) 10 Years Medal.

🇪🇺 This award recognises Colonel Nikolov’s decade-long contribution to the European security and defence education community. His involvement with the ESDC began in 2012 through the CSDP High-Level Course and has continued through years of dedicated service, including as a member of the ESDC Executive Academic Board since 2015.

🌍 Under Colonel Nikolov’s leadership, CMDR COE has strengthened its partnership with the ESDC and delivers key international courses each year on Climate Change and Security, Disaster Relief in the CSDP Context, and Crisis Management in Multilateral Frameworks. These courses contribute to developing knowledge, skills, and cooperation among civilian and military professionals addressing today’s complex security challenges.

✨ This distinction reflects not only Colonel Nikolov’s personal commitment and professionalism, but also CMDR COE’s enduring contribution to education, training, resilience, and international cooperation.

👏 Congratulations, Sir, on this well-deserved recognition!

✨ We are proud to share that Colonel Kostadin Lazarov and Major Ralitsa Bakalova, highly regarded experts from our team, have been invited to participate in the Green Transition Forum 6.0 - one of Europe’s 🇪🇺 leading platforms for dialogue on a greener, more competitive, innovative, and secure future. 🌍

🛡️ Their participation underscores the increasing importance of resilience, crisis management, and disaster response in supporting sustainable development and organisational preparedness.

🤝 For CMDR COE, this is an excellent opportunity to contribute expertise beyond the security and defence sector, helping businesses, institutions, and communities to strengthen risk awareness, continuity, and resilience in an increasingly complex environment.

We look forward to sharing our experience, exchanging ideas, and contributing to the discussion on building a safer and more resilient future. 🚀

1️⃣2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ followers – thank you! ❤️

🎉 The CMDR COE community is growing, and we are grateful to everyone who follows, supports, and engages with our work.

🌍🤝At CMDR COE, we turn knowledge into preparedness, cooperation into resilience, and expertise into practical support for NATO, Allies, partners, and the wider crisis management community.
From education and training to lessons learned, concept development, innovation, and civil-military cooperation, our mission remains clear: stronger institutions, better prepared societies, and more effective response to complex crises.🚀🛡️

🙏 Thank you for being part of our journey.
Stay connected – greater resilience lies ahead! ✨

🤝 From dialogue to practical resilience.

🔥 The 14th CMDR COE Annual Conference on Crisis Management and Disaster Response and the 4th International Conference on Environmental Protection and Disaster Risks have successfully concluded in Sofia, bringing together more than 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ experts from NATO structures, national authorities, academia, civil protection organisations, international partners, and the private sector.

🌍 Over three days, participants exchanged expertise on NATO interoperability and support to Ukraine, risk intelligence, wildfire management, environmental risk research, artificial intelligence, modelling and simulation, climate and security, business continuity management, and disaster resilience.

💡 The conference once again confirmed that addressing today’s complex risks requires cooperation, innovation, interoperability, and shared expertise.

🙏 CMDR COE thanks all speakers, moderators, panellists, participants, and organising partners for their valuable contributions.

🔥 The 14th CMDR COE Annual Conference on Crisis Management and Disaster Response and the 4th International Conference on Environmental Protection and Disaster Risks are officially underway in Sofia.

🤝 Bringing together NATO representatives, national institutions, academia, scientific organisations, emergency management experts, industry, and partners, the event provides a platform for high-level exchange on today’s most pressing resilience challenges.

✨ Day 1 set a strong strategic tone with remarks from Mr Lyubomir Monov, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic of Bulgaria, and Colonel Orlin Nikolov, Director of CMDR COE.

⛑️🚨 Key discussions addressed NATO civil emergency response, lessons from Ukraine, wildfire management in a hybrid environment, digital twins, risk intelligence, integrated wildfire risk management, and environmental risk research over days 1 and 2.

🛡️ One clear message stands out: preparedness requires cooperation, science, technology, and shared commitment.

👀 Stay tuned for more highlights from Sofia.

🌍 To conclude our keynote speaker announcements before the conference opens tomorrow, we are honoured to present one of the most distinguished operational leaders joining this year’s forum:

🎤 Major General Volodymyr Demchuk
🚨 Deputy Head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Event details:
🗓️ Date: 1–3 June 2026
📍 Location: Sofia, CMDR COE

🛡️ Major General Demchuk brings first-hand experience from one of the most demanding crisis and emergency response environments in Europe. His professional career within Ukraine’s emergency management system spans more than two decades, from operational and command roles to senior leadership within the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

🇺🇦🚒 As Deputy Head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, he represents a community that continues to demonstrate extraordinary resilience, courage, and professionalism in protecting lives, supporting communities, and responding to complex emergencies under the most challenging conditions.

🌐⚡ His participation will provide a highly relevant and practice-oriented perspective to the conference discussions on crisis management, disaster response, resilience, preparedness, and civil protection.

🤝🏛️ We look forward to welcoming Major General Volodymyr Demchuk to CMDR COE and to hearing his valuable insights in Sofia.

🔗 Learn more about the conference: https://envirorisks.cmdrcoe.org

⏳ As we approach the final weekend before the opening of the 14th CMDR COE Annual Conference on Crisis Management and Disaster Response and the 4th International Conference on Environmental Protection and Disaster Risks, we are pleased to introduce one of the most experienced voices joining us in Sofia:

🎤 Mr Tore Stirling Bade
🛡️ NATO Interoperability Defence Planning Advisor, NATO Representation to Ukraine

Event details:
🗓️ Date: 1–3 June 2026
📍 Location: Sofia, CMDR COE

🎖️ With over 40 years of service, including 17 years in NATO roles, extensive operational experience, and long-standing collaboration with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Tore Bade offers an exceptional strategic and operational perspective to this year’s conference.

🌐 His career encompasses defence planning, NATO policy, military cooperation, interoperability, operational planning, and field experience across several theatres, including 🇱🇧 Lebanon, 🇮🇶 Iraq, 🇷🇼 Rwanda, 🇧🇦 Bosnia, 🇽🇰 Kosovo, 🇪🇬 Egypt, and 🇦🇫 Afghanistan.

🚨🛡️ As the conference explores crisis management, resilience, disaster response, and the evolving security environment, his insights will add significant value to discussions on how institutions, forces, and partners adapt to complex and high-pressure situations.

🤝🏛️ We look forward to welcoming Mr Tore Bade to Sofia.

🔗 Learn more about the conference: https://envirorisks.cmdrcoe.org

🤝 Last week, the CMDR COE welcomed representatives of the European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management for an official visit focused on shared priorities and potential cooperation.

🚨 The discussions addressed the intersection of the two Centres’ activities, including crisis management, resilience, civilian preparedness, civil-military interaction, education and training, and knowledge exchange.

🔍 The visit provided an opportunity to explore practical areas for future cooperation and to strengthen dialogue between NATO- and EU-oriented expert communities working in complementary fields.

✨ As a NATO-accredited Centre of Excellence, CMDR COE remains committed to fostering expertise, cooperation, and practical approaches in support of crisis management and disaster response.