Riga hosts first NATO strategic communications exercise «Synesis 2026»

The first NATO strategic communications exercise, called «Synesis 2026», is currently taking place in Riga, the capital of Latvia. NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and strategic communication refers to how states and institutions communicate with the public, including during crises. The exercise aims to counter information warfare, reduce panic among the public and strengthen public trust.

Scenario and artificial intelligence

The exercise is built around a carefully prepared scenario. It plays out various crisis and threat situations and models how society reacts to them. For this purpose, participants use a society model developed with artificial intelligence, which resembles the societies of European countries.

Participants

Teams from 13 countries are taking part. In this way they learn to work with the model and test how to communicate under threat conditions in order to limit panic and preserve trust. Artificial intelligence is not only a working tool in the exercise but also part of what participants practise as they try to strengthen public trust.

As this is the first exercise of its kind within NATO, its staging in Riga marks a new step in strategic communications training. The source does not give the exact dates, the organisers or further details of the scenario.