CUCC 2025 – MNCG AT THE HELM OF NATO CIMIC INNOVATION

From June 4th to 6th, Venice became the operational epicentre of NATO’s civil-military cooperation, hosting the 18th CIMIC Units Commanders’ Conference (CUCC) — a landmark event that reaffirmed the Multinational CIMIC Group’s central role in shaping the Alliance’s future approach to civilian engagement.

Colonel Piero Furlan, Commander of the MNCG, did more than welcome participants — he set the tone. His opening remarks ignited a forward-leaning atmosphere that guided the entire forum: CIMIC must not only adapt to complexity but lead transformation. Under his command, MNCG continues to demonstrate that doctrine, training and field experience must speak with a single voice.

Over a hundred officers, experts, and planners from NATO and partner nations, joined by voices from academia and private sector innovation, brought critical energy to every panel. Their presence testified to a growing understanding: resilience and interoperability are not buzzwords — they are the pillars of future-readiness.

The participation of Brig. Gen. Editson Zarka (SHAPE ACOS J9) in Venice underlined the strategic weight of the event. His intervention called for CIMIC to become not just an advisory capability, but a planning and action driver across all domains.

Throughout the sessions, discussion remained grounded in real scenarios: from the integration of artificial intelligence into the analysis of the civil environment, to the practicalities of multinational cooperation in contested spaces. No topic was academic — each was filtered through the lens of operational consequence.

The move to the Regione Veneto venue for the closing day added symbolic depth: it reinforced the institutional dimension of CIMIC as a bridge-builder — between commands and communities, doctrine and society.

CUCC 2025 closed with more than conclusions — it delivered alignment, direction and determination. And once again, MNCG stood at the centre of it all: not only facilitating dialogue, but leading NATO’s way forward in the evolving civil-military landscape.

Photo gallery