On behalf of President Arne Gerrit Halvorsen and the Former Yugoslavia Balkan Group (FYBG), we are honoured to announce the initial preparations for the First International Balkan War Conference. Our highly respected Patron, General Sir Michal Rose will be our Keynote Speaker, and we are working on a professional program.
A few sponsors will be invited, feel free to take contact if your company or organisation wants to be associated with the top brass.
Based in Norway and representing 100 members across 12 countries, FYBG is committed to promoting historical awareness, dialogue, peace, and mutual understanding. It is with great humility and respect that we welcome participants, partners, and guests to this important international gathering.
During the Balkan wars of the 1990s, the United Nations deployed its largest peacekeeping force at the time, UNPROFOR (United Nations Protection Force), serving from February 1992 to March 1995. At its peak in September 1994, the force comprised approximately 39,922 military personnel drawn from more than 40 countries, including Argentina, Canada, Denmark, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
We are humble proud to announce that Our Patron, General Sir Michael Rose, has accepted to be the main speaker at the first Balkan War Conference
Following the Dayton Agreement in 1995, peacekeeping responsibilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina were primarily transferred to NATO-led forces (IFOR/SFOR), operating under a continued United Nations mandate. Norway made a significant contribution to the international efforts in the Balkans. Since 1992, more than 14,000 Norwegian soldiers have participated in various UN and NATO operations in the region. Of these, approximately 4,400 served within UNPROFOR in Croatia and Bosnia between 1992 and 1995.
The conflicts in the Balkans were the bloodiest in Europe since the Second World War. The Former Yugoslavia Balkan Group seeks to ensure that the realities experienced on the ground are neither forgotten nor misunderstood. We are dedicated to presenting documented facts and personal accounts in an objective, balanced, and respectful manner towards all nations and individuals affected.
Through the First International Balkan War Conference, we aim to foster informed dialogue, promote reconciliation, and honour the memory of those who lost their lives.
We look forward to welcoming you to this important and meaningful event.
Sincerely,
Arne Gerrit Halvorsen Jan Helge Kalvik
President Secretary-General, FYBG
