A global breaking point - where are we headed? This is the general topic of the twelfth edition of the Aspen - GMF Bucharest forum, organized by the Romanian Aspen Institute and the German Marshall Fund of the USA. The event will take place on November 9-10, 2023, in Bucharest and will be attended by the journalist and host of the current affairs show "120 Minutes" on bTV, Svetoslav Ivanov.

A leading forum in the field of public diplomacy and strategic meetings in the Black Sea region, the Aspen - GMF Bucharest initiative offers opportunities for world leaders to commit to the extended Black Sea area, bridging transatlantic conversations and creating a process of reflection on the region and its impact within international programs.

The wars in Ukraine and Israel mark a turning point for the whole world. Paradigms of military and economic security are being destroyed, and international and regional geopolitical maps are being redrawn. Local military conflicts are only the tip of the iceberg of a larger economic and ideological confrontation that risks leading to a sharp division of the world. This year's edition of Aspen - GMF Bucharest will focus on the transformations and challenges that war creates internationally. Topics to be discussed include:

• Cyber security
• Rearmament and defense industry
• Geopolitical processes
• Production chains at the regional level
• Cyber and technological development
• Education as a cornerstone of societal sustainability
• Venture capital and regional startups
• Financial markets
• Green economy
• Financial institutions and economic security
• Democracy in a divided world

The annual forum of Aspen and the German Marshall Fund is a platform for genuine, provocative, and forward-looking debates that seek to ask the right questions and address the complex issues of the dynamic and volatile regional and international context. The initiative will reunite business representatives, officials, and the strategic community in a tripartite format. Participants from Europe, the US, NATO partner countries, as well as the Middle East, Africa and Asia will participate in the two-day debates. They will be joined by high-level representatives from institutions and national governments.