YATA Belgium

02/03/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the very first edition of BEYOND – Belgian Youth on Defence! 🛡️

A sincere thank you to our speakers:
- Theo Francken
- Jelle Neyt
- Paul Savereux
- Kathleen Depoorter

This inaugural forum truly exceeded our expectations! What made it special was, beyond the high-level discussions, your energy in the room.

🌍 Your ideas and international perspectives gave BEYOND its unique character: young professionals engaging directly with policymakers and defence experts on the future of European security.

For those who just joined us: welcome to YATA Belgium! We’re excited to keep building this community together. 🤝

📸 Thank you Noah Azzouzi for the amazing photos!

10/12/2025

Meet Hakan, the creative force behind Ghent’s new pop-up Third Wave, where cocktails become a cultural experience. 🍸

Join YATA Belgium on 13 December at 16:30 for an exclusive cocktail workshop with Hakan: create your own liqueur and mix a signature drink.

📍 Third Wave, Dampoortstraat 47
📝 Register via link in comments

08/12/2025

As the year slowly draws to a close, so does the first year of YATA Belgium’s elected board. And what a year it has been!

Twelve months ago, we started as a small team with big ambitions.

Today, our community has grown to nearly 100 students and young professionals, and our volunteer team has doubled with an extra board member and project officers. We are also growing our reach on social media, tripling our Instagram following and reaching nearly 1,000 followers on LinkedIn.

We hosted a broad programme of visits, policy briefings, and academic events: from NATO Headquarters, SHAPE, and the Belgian Parliament, to lectures and workshops at Belgian universities. Our members met leaders like NATO CMC Admiral Rob Bauer, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker, and Belgian Minister of Defence HE Theo Francken, giving young professionals a real voice in strategic debates.

We represented the next generation at international events such as the Berlin Security Conference, the NATO Youth Summit, Brussels Forum (GMF), the Atlantic Assembly, and the NATO Public Forum in The Hague, gaining first-hand insights into foreign policy, strategic communications, and transatlantic cooperation.

We strengthened partnerships across YATA International, national YATA chapters, and Belgian youth organisations like Jeunes MR and Lie Detectors.

With this foundation, we step confidently into our second year. Thank you to everyone who joined us on this journey.

The future is Atlantic 🤝

27/10/2025

🌟 Introducing our new YATA Belgium team members

YATA Belgium is thrilled to introduce our newest members: Our new Board member and Project Officers.

Their expertise, dedication, and fresh perspectives will help us drive impactful initiatives, foster connections, and shape the future of our community.

We are honoured to have such talented individuals as part of YATA Belgium and look forward to the continued impact they bring to our organisation.

24/10/2025

Today, we had the opportunity to meet with Darya Safai, Belgian’s Head of Delegation to NATO PA.

It’s important to engage policymakers with young professionals and students.

Keep an eye out for 2026!

22/10/2025

Today, we had the pleasure of hosting an exclusive roundtable lunch with our members and Minister of Defence Theo Francken.

We sincerely thank him and his team for this valuable opportunity and for their warm hospitality.

Would you also like to take part in events like this? Join us today and be part of the future!

09/10/2025

🎯 Ready to kick-start your career in international security, NATO, and defence policy?

Our team gathered 5 exciting opportunities in Brussels: from internships at the U.S. Embassy & U.S. Mission to the EU, to junior roles at C&V Defence and Belgian Defence.

📌 Watch & save the video to discover your next step!

🔗 Vacancy links will be shared in our member group, join YATA Belgium today and take your first step into the field.

15/09/2025

On 9/11 we are reminded of how fragile freedom can be, but also how strong partnerships remain.

We attended the Rentrée reception at the U.S. embassy in Belgium. Ambassador Matthew Whitaker emphasized that the United States stands alongside Europe and expressed his pleasure at meeting with civil society representatives in Belgium.

In times of uncertainty, one message stands out: the future is Atlantic.

🇺🇸🇧🇪 Cooperation between the United States and Belgium remains a cornerstone for security, stability, and shared values, within NATO and beyond.

13/09/2025

13/09/2025

13/09/2025

Graduate Professional (Communications Associate, Security and Technology) opportunity for 6 months with modest allowance in international . Ideal for an early-career person with eagerness to go international.

UNIDIR’s Security and Technology Programme is looking for a Graduate Professional to support communications efforts for its flagship events and outreach initiatives.

🗓️ 6 months, with the possibility of extension
📍 Geneva

Apply by 21 September ✍️ unidir.org/SecTecComms