The CIOR Council, the organisation’s executive body, and its committee leads, last weekend met in cyberspace for the spring version of the twice-annual In-Between-Meeting (IBM). The chairman of NATO’s National Reserve Forces Committee (NRFC) also participated.
By: Roy Thorvaldsen, Lt. Col (R), Norwegian Army/ CIOR Public Affairs.
The VIBM (Virtual IBM), led by CIOR’s President Jan Hörmann, Captain of the German Navy (R), focused on keeping the organisation afloat during the still-ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Special emphasis was on continued committee work, finances, future presidencies – which change every other year – and the next summer congresses.
Estonia will take over the Presidency from Germany in just over a year, with either The Netherlands or the USA to follow suit in 2024 – and then perhaps Denmark, supported by the other Nordic countries.
Near half of the roughly 60 participants at the CIOR IBM at the end of May. The meeting was entirely digital. President Jan Hörmann can be seen in the upper left corner. Screenshot: Roy Thorvaldsen.
Representatives of the next, Estonian CIOR Presidency listening carefully at IBM deliberations from their office in Tallinn. Screenshot: Roy Thorvaldsen.
The plan for future Summer Congresses includes Athens, Greece in 2022, Finland in 2023 and Estonia in 2024.
Anniversary Planning
Next year is also the 75th Anniversary of CIOR, and plans are well under way to celebrate in style. This includes design of an anniversary edition of CIOR’s medal of merit, a commemorative coin and a coffee table book – displaying highlights of the reserve confederation’s existence.
Promotion of all member nations’ reserve officer models on CIOR’s website was also discussed.
NRFC seeks cooperation
The chairman of the NRFC, Rear Admiral Michael H. Busse of the German Navy, briefed the IBM participants on the status of current program of work, and elaborated on plans ahead – with special emphasis on Cyber, where a cooperation with CIOR is desired, he said.
Greek head of delegation, Major (R), Dr. Philippos Kostaras, informing IBM participants of plans for next year’s summer congress in Athens. Screenshot: Roy Thorvaldsen.
The Republic of North Macedonia has applied for full membership of
CIOR, and is likely to be taken on board at the Summer Congress (SC), also fully digital this year. The dates for the ’cyber SC’ are August 7th and 8th.
The next IBM is scheduled to take place in Berlin at the end of Oct
ober – as the first physical meeting in one year and nine months. That is something a lot of people in the organisation is longing for.
Socialising and cultivating friendship and camaraderie in a military context, is a lot of what CIOR is about for most participants.