Special Lecture by President of NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Mr Marcos PERESTRELLO

On Monday, 19 October 2026, the College of Europe in Natolin had the pleasure to host the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Mr Marcos PERESTRELLO, for a special lecture titled: "NATO 3.0 and the Future of Transatlantic Relations".

President PERESTRELLO started his lecture by saying: "It's a pleasure to discuss with you, NATO 3.0 and the future of the transatlantic relations. We need more engagement around defense and security, and we need to foster a new generation of defense and security professionals. In other words, we need you." 

  Led and moderated by students of the Natolin Defence Society, the event explored NATO’s future, the evolving transatlantic partnership, and the challenges shaping Euro-Atlantic security.

"The future of the alliance depends not only on governments and military leaders, but also on informed and engaged citizens. NATO needs knowledge, skills and talent. I am sure that the new European Security and Strategy study track at Natolin will help us to achieve this goal. And as College of Europe students, many of you will help to shape that future." 

- Marcos PERESTRELLO, President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly

Photo gallery from the event: 

About the speaker:  

Marcos Perestrello is the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and Deputy Speaker of the Portuguese Parliament. Mr Perestrello is a Lawyer (1994 graduate of Lisbon University) and was elected member of the Portuguese Parliament for the first time in 2005. Since then, he has served several times as an MP. In 2007, he was elected and served as Deputy Mayor of Lisbon until 2009.Marcos Perestrello served twice in the Government. First, from 2009 to 2011 as Secretary of State for National Defence and Maritime Affairs and then as Secretary of State for National Defence, between 2015 and 2018. Marcos Perestrello was Chair of the National Defence Committee of the Portuguese Parliament from 2019 to 2024. Currently, he is Vice-President of the Portuguese Parliament-Assembleia da República. Mr Perestrello is Deputy Chair of the Portuguese Atlantic Committee. He has also held the position of Chair of the NATO PA Sub-Committee on NATO Partnerships (Political Committee) since the Annual Session in Lisbon in October 2021 and was Vice-President of the NATO PA from September 2023 to November 2024.Marcos Perestrello was born in 1971, is married and has three children. 

Source: The President | NATO PA