BSF: All About the People
by Svetlana Stefanović, Executive Director, Belgrade Security Forum
For a seventh year in a row, Belgrade was on the global map of political debate on different contemporary issues that affect all of us. This year’s Belgrade Security Forum gathered more than 820 speakers and participants coming from more than 35 different countries and more than 200 media outlets that covered our events.
These numbers, alongside the key messages sent from the panels have been in the focus in the course of the three day event. The BSF gathered, some big names in politics, showing once again that Belgrade represents a prime meeting place for discussions on foreign affairs and security.
For most people interested in the topics we cover, this is enough. A less known fact about the Forum is that it is a brain child of three civil society organizations. Another little known fact is that the real heroes of the event are standing behind the scenes, working hard every year to make this event possible. It is them who stand at the heart of the BSF. A dedicated team of young, passionate people who jointly succeed at making the BSF better each time.
The BSF really is like one big family of people who are more than colleagues; who are all in a way my people, ready to help, to take on a challenge, to work until the work is done, set new goals and learn from each other and mentor each other.
Even though the team has changed during these seven years and that every year we have new members, the team spirit and motivation remains high.
The BSF team is also like a big puzzle and only if we put all the pieces correctly we create the perfect picture of our BSF.
It gets hard, but we are raising the bar higher every year. Even with limited funds, together we make miracles happen because of teamwork, mutual understanding and solidarity, together with our unbreakable will pushing us further each time.
You might think that our team is big, but it is not. However, we all work with love and commitment, building a stronger BSF community in the age of uncertainty.
People who work and make the BSF possible all rush to make your stay comfortable, to answer your questions and see that everything runs smoothly. And we support each other through a professional and human approach.
In the end, the BSF is all about the people.
