Ulrike Nagel served as chair of the 2022 Euregional Security Conference in Apeldoorn. Good neighbors work together, share knowledge, and create a safe environment. That cooperation is more urgent than ever given the challenges we face. Natural disasters, criminal activities, or health crises—they are not confined to our borders. That is why the municipality of Apeldoorn organized a Euregional conference on Thursday, May 12, and Friday, May 13.
Mayor Ton Heerts, host of the conference: “Security is the foundation of a free, prosperous, and democratic society. And we’re working on that together with our neighbors, in the Netherlands and in Germany. At this conference, we want to share knowledge and deepen our cooperation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we once again saw just how important that is.” Nearly 200 people attended.
Chairperson Ulrike Nagel presided over both days. The program was varied, featuring a compelling presentation on Thursday by Professor and terrorism expert Beatrice de Graaf, various workshops, and a visit to Paleis het Loo. On Friday, the Chief of Police of North Rhine-Westphalia, Daniela Lesmeister, addressed the attendees via Zoom. Students from Saxion University of Applied Sciences gave a fascinating presentation on their research into phishing, and there were field trips to Het Apeldoornsche Bosch, the Police Academy, and the Royal Military Police.
Three themes took center stage: crisis management, crime prevention, and wildfire suppression. Naturally, the topic of digital security could not be left out. Lodewijk Asscher, as the driving force behind the Center for Security and Digitalization, led a breakout session. Mayor Ton Heerts: “We look back on a successful conference with many positive responses from the participants. The conference served as an opportunity to meet one another, build connections, and find inspiration. Apeldoorn is once again gaining recognition as a city of safety. After all, Apeldoorn has a lot to offer in the field of security. Think of the Police Academy, the Army, the Air Force, the Military Police, the Center for Security and Digitalization, Saxion, and ROC, all of which offer programs in the field of security—and soon the Navy will also be coming to Apeldoorn.”
