As peacekeepers, you work together in hot spots around the world. You bring reconciliation to countries torn apart by crisis and conflict. And you come together here to practice the techniques that will make your peacekeeping efforts even more effective. A half a century ago, a group of countries came together to build the most successful military alliance in modern history. Unlike other military alliances, its success is not measured by battles won, lands conquered or casualties inflicted.
Success comes instead from the conflicts deterred, the lives saved and the freedom secured.
But who would have thought, even 15 years ago, that Eastern and Western European nations would join together as we are doing today. NATO was formed a half century ago, and since then the world has seen many changes, especially in the last few years. NATO has changed, too. It now welcomes new members. And it is working to bring Europe together under the Partnership for Peace program.