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NATO summits are the highest level of political-military dialogue in the Alliance, when Heads of State and Government come together to discuss complex issues and make big decisions. Summits can be high-stakes and high-pressure events, involving potential disagreements between Allies and marking major turning points for NATO. But they can also involve moments that celebrate the cultural diversity of the Alliance, giving NATO Leaders the chance to take a break from high-stress meetings and simply hang out together, building the informal relationships that help grease the wheels of diplomacy.
Over the years, these artistic and cultural activities have included visits to local museums, dance or opera performances, and even a baseball game – all things that celebrate the heritage of the summit host country. Take a look at the selection of events below to immerse yourself in some of the art and culture from past NATO summits!
Madrid, 29-30 June 2022
On the second day of the 2022 Madrid Summit, His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain drew NATO Leaders together for a dinner at the Prado Museum, which houses some of the most revered works of art by Francisco de Goya, Hieronymus Bosch, El Greco, Peter Paul Rubens, Titian and Diego Velázquez. Before dinner, NATO Heads of State and Government explored the Prado’s galleries and the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra treated them to a live concert.
Brussels, 11-12 July 2018
On the first day of the 2018 Brussels Summit, NATO Leaders and their partners gathered in the beautiful Parc du Cinquantenaire to watch an uplifting show: a floating dancer suspended by blue and white balloons. After she had slowly descended to the ground, she met a group of artists playing the saxophone – an instrument created by Belgian inventor Adolphe Sax.
Bucharest, 2-4 April 2008
On the second day of the 2008 Bucharest Summit, the partners of NATO Leaders enjoyed a show of traditional Romanian folk dancing at the Dimitrie Gusti Village Museum. Located just outside the city, the museum is laid out like a typical rural Romanian village and includes around 300 authentic rural buildings from every region of the country.
Istanbul, 28-29 June 2004
To put a spin on events on the first day of the 2004 Istanbul Summit, NATO Leaders attended a Sufi whirling performance, a form of physically active meditation that looks like a dance and is practised by the Sufi dervishes of the 750-year-old Mevlevi order. During this worship ceremony, the dervishes – the followers of the mystical Islamic belief of Sufism – aim to reach greater connection with Allah. The action of rotating in a circular movement is at the core of this performance.
Washington D.C., 23-24 April 1999
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of NATO, US President Bill Clinton hosted a dinner, which capitalised on the opera-tunity to include a cultural programme inspired by the founding of NATO. Soprano singer Jessye Norman performed a number of songs from George Gershwin’s opera ‘Porgy and Bess’, which had been played by the US Marine Band during the signing ceremony of the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949. (performance begins at the 2:40:50 mark)
Brussels, 14 June 2021
At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was still testing the resilience of Allied countries, NATO Leaders followed appropriate safety and health measures to meet in person at the 2021 Brussels Summit. Heads of State and Government were invited to embark on a socially distanced virtual journey to 2030 by watching a multimedia display about NATO’s agenda for the future.
Chicago, 20-21 May 2012
Ahead of the 2012 Chicago Summit, NATO Leaders were invited to take in a cultural staple of the host city: baseball. They watched the Chicago Cubs take on the Chicago White Sox at Wrigley Field. Before the game, a tribute was paid to veterans of NATO member and partner countries, and General John R. Allen, Commander of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, threw the first pitch. It was a real home run!
Riga, 28-29 November 2006
In a high note between meetings at the 2006 Riga Summit, NATO Leaders attended a concert by internationally renowned youth choir Kamēr at the Latvian National Opera. The cultural programme for the evening was organised by President of Latvia Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga.
Prague, 21-22 November 2002
On the eve of the 2002 Prague Summit, a farewell dinner was held to honour President Václav Havel, who was retiring after a long and storied career. The Czech President was a man of arts and politics, and his work was crucial in bringing Czechia into NATO in 1999. The dinner took place at Prague Castle and featured various performances, including a concert by the Castle Guard Fanfare Orchestra. NATO Heads of State and Government presented President Havel with an honorary copy of the North Atlantic Treaty and Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Accession of Czechia.
