Category: Europe

The hive mentality: Bruno’s story

Bruno began beekeeping in 2013. After years of doing development work in countries close to the equator, coming back to Belgium and experiencing its seasonal changes felt like a new beginning. “I started to consider having beehives, but all the beekeepers lived too far to come over regularly to manage them. Then, one of them asked me, ‘Why don’t you try being a beekeeper yourself?’ and here I am, a decade later and taking care of 60 beehives in total.”

Besides beekeeping, Bruno also dedicates his time to organic farming. He believes that farming and beekeeping both help connect people to the cycles of nature. “I love being in contact with the beehive, as the bees are in symbiosis with the environment. In spring, they labour hard and collect pollen and, in winter, they live off what they’ve foraged.”

NATO’s busy bees: helping to green the Alliance, one beehive at a time

The NATO beekeeping project began in 2020 with two hives. It was initiated as part of the forward-looking ‘NATO 2030’ agenda, which aims to ensure that the Alliance can face future challenges in various domains and areas, including climate change. Over time, NATO’s apiaries have doubled in number. The bee population varies throughout the year, holding an average of 50,000 bees per hive at the height of summer when the potential for nectar harvesting is greatest.

Before the project initiation, the bees experienced a NATO-appropriate entry to the NATO site: screening at the security detectors. “One of the security technicians borrowed the beekeeper’s jacket and carried out the inspection of the beehives and their contents. It felt quite surreal.”

For Bruno, the busiest period of the year is from April to June, when the bee colonies are increasing in numbers and need to be observed more carefully to ensure sufficient honey production and to control swarming. “In spring and summer, the hives require constant attention. I come to NATO headquarters frequently to check if the colonies are healthy and producing enough honey to sustain themselves for the winter period. Meanwhile winter time is more relaxed and calm.”

At NATO headquarters, Bruno harvests honey twice a year, in May and July. “The hives yield on average 50 kg of honey, depending on weather conditions. We harvest 25 kg and leave the rest to make sure the bees have enough food to survive the winter,” explains Bruno.

Honey at the headquarters is more than just a sweet treat. Every year, jars of honey are sold at the NATO Charity Bazaar, and the money is donated to Belgian and international charities. Additionally, having hives on the premises helps to raise awareness about the importance of bees for local ecosystems among NATO staff and their families.

“As part of the beekeeping project, there are sessions for NATO employees and children attending summer camps at the headquarters. In 2023, we organised eight workshops for kids and two for NATO employees, teaching them more about the honeybee lifecycle and beekeeping. When people get to experience this first-hand and see how precious honey is, they are more likely to think sustainably and buy local products.”

According to him, the ultimate reward of a beekeeper is the honey itself: proof that the bees are healthy and thriving in their environment. “It feels special, like a sacred bond, to have the honey as something to share with the bee colony,” Bruno says.  

Wildlife ambassador: protecting the bees in a changing climate

In recent years, climate change has made beekeeping more challenging. “The seasons have not been the same in the last five years. It has been either unseasonably rainy, cold or dry. Some weather elements – drought, for example – affect bees negatively and cause them a lot of distress,” says Bruno. “As beekeepers, we have to adapt ourselves and our technologies to deal with climate change and the unpredictable seasons and challenges that come with it, including Asian hornets, which are predators of bees.”

“We need to understand that everything in nature is interconnected. Bees collect and sample pollen within a three-kilometre range and are therefore the best indicators of the quality of the environment surrounding us.”

Bruno remains optimistic for the future of beekeeping and honey harvesting, and his passion for his job is evident. “Honeybees are the best partner for awareness-raising. By lecturing and raising awareness about them and the need to preserve natural habitats and biodiversity, I also rally support for other bee species. It feels like being an ambassador for wildlife.”

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“Seven – soon to be eight – NATO Allies border the Baltic Sea, so the area is of crucial importance to our Alliance,” said Acting NATO Spokesperson Dylan White. “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has radically altered the security situation in the Baltic Sea, and NATO has substantially increased its defensive presence in the region at sea, on land and in the air. Exercises like these send a clear message that NATO stands ready to defend every inch of Allied territory.” 

Over the coming two weeks, Allies will train amphibious operations, air defence, strikes from sea to land, and securing sea lanes. Standing NATO Maritime Group One and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One are participating in the manoeuvres, which involve personnel from Allies Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the U.S. and NATO invitee Sweden. Held annually, the exercise is being run for the first time from Germany’s new Navy Command in Rostock.

Welcoming the students to the NATO Headquarters, the Director General of the International Military Staff, Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak provided an overview of the current security environment, the implications of the war in Ukraine on European and global security as well as the importance of partnerships. “We value the unique perspective and experience you bring to the table. There is already a strong political dialogue in place, with regular consultations, including on regional security, counter-terrorism, disinformation and cyber threats. Practical and military cooperation is essential. We have much to learn from each other. Moreover, there are many benefits to working together on common and global challenges. The current security environment highlights the significance of partnerships. And, we are especially grateful to be able to count on Colombia”, underscored the Director General.

As part of the International Geostrategic Practices of the Higher Military Studies Course, the 45 students hailing from Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, were briefed on the recent outcomes of the Vilnius Summit, especially in regards to further strengthening NATO’s Deterrence and Defence Posture, in response to Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. By providing Ukrainian troops with special training in countering improvised explosive devices, Colombia has been contributing to Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to push back the invading forces and advance through heavily mined territory. The group received an overview on NATO, its role and responsibilities as a defence and security provider, as well as on the intricacies of its political-military structure. The programme concluded with a briefing on NATO’s ongoing partnerships, existing partnership programmes and the changes that resulted from the Madrid Summit in July 2022, which saw Nations advocate for more cooperation with Partners and a willingness to engage with new ones.

Colombia became NATO’s newest partner in 2017, and the first in Latin America. As part of this partnership, NATO supports Colombia in its continuing efforts to develop its armed forces, while Colombia provides demining training to NATO Allies and other partner countries. In December 2021, Colombia and NATO agreed a new framework of cooperation, the Individually Tailored Partnership Programme, marking the beginning of even closer cooperation. Colombia was the first partner to transition to this new programme, which covers areas for enhanced cooperation such as interoperability, building integrity, training and education, as well as new areas like climate change and security.

Mr Stoltenberg welcomed Ukraine’s progress in their counteroffensive, noting that the Ukrainian forces are “gradually gaining ground” and that “they have been able to breach the defensive lines of the Russian forces, and they are moving forward.” He added: “the Russian army used to be the second strongest in the world; and now the Russian army is the second strongest in Ukraine… The reality is that Ukrainians are actually exceeding expectation again and again. And we need to remember what’s our responsibility: our responsibility to support them.” He concluded by saying: “to support Ukraine is not an option. It’s a necessity to ensure that we preserve peace for our members, for our countries and to ensure that authoritarian regimes don’t achieve what they want by violating international law and using military force.”

Mr Stoltenberg also condemned Russia’s decision to withdraw from the Black Sea grain deal and its deliberate attempts to stop Ukraine’s agricultural exports. “We welcome the efforts by Türkiye to re-establish the grain deal,” Mr Stoltenberg said, adding that the best way to ensure safe and secure shipment of grain from Ukraine is for Russia to end its war.

On the NATO-EU relationship, Mr Stoltenberg welcomed that cooperation has deepened in areas including cyber, space, critical infrastructure, military mobility, stability in the Western Balkans, maritime security, and more. “I believe in NATO-EU cooperation, because we share the same values, we share the same challenges. We are two different organizations, but we have a lot in common,” he said.

Mr Geoană also participated in a memorial ceremony at ‘Yad Vashem’, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre, and visited the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation.

On Friday (8 September 2023), Mr Geoană will meet with Allied Ambassadors to Israel.

“I welcome recent steps taken by Pristina to lower tensions, including reducing the number of special police in the north, and plans to facilitate new municipal elections. But it’s essential to avoid further escalation. So I urge all parties to avoid inflammatory rhetoric, and to act with restraint and in line with their commitments,” the Secretary General said.

Mr Stoltenberg welcomed the next round of the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina taking place next week. He said that the dialogue is the “only way to resolve outstanding issues and to reach a solution that respects the rights of all communities. This requires patience, perseverance and compromise,” he added.

In May this year, 93 KFOR troops were injured in unprovoked attacks in northern Kosovo, some seriously, which the Secretary General called “totally unacceptable.” He said: “we expect timely and meaningful consultation on any actions of the Kosovo Security Force or Kosovo Police that could impact the security environment.” Since the unrest, NATO has deployed hundreds of additional troops from its operational reserve force for the Western Balkans to Kosovo.