European Green Belt Initiative
Our Vision:
The European Green Belt, our shared natural heritage along the line of the former Iron Curtain is to be conserved and restored, to function as an ecological network connecting high-value natural and cultural landscapes whilst respecting the economic, social and cultural needs of local communities.
An extraordinary ecological network and living memorial landscape has developed along the former Iron Curtain, which divided the European continent into East and West for nearly 40 years. Along 24 countries and more than 12,500 kilometres – from the Barents Sea at the Russian-Norwegian border, along the Baltic Coast, through Central Europe and the Balkans to the Black and the Adriatic Sea – the border zone granted nature a pause and has created a zone of life. As the European Green Belt snakes from north to south it passes through a huge variety of European landscapes. Today, the European Green Belt forms the backbone of a Pan-European ecological network and provides a significant contribution to European "Green Infrastructure".
The European Green Belt Initiative aims to harmonise human activities with the natural environment and to increase opportunities for the socio-economic development of local communities.
Read more about the European Green Belt and the Initiative.


Celebrate the European Green Belt Days 2025 with us!
Get creative and apply with your ideas for a small grant by the European Green Belt Association, to financially support your European Green Belt Day celebration in your region!

Exciting News: European Green Belt Hiking Trail is coming up!
The European Green Belt Hiking Trail: First steps are taken to link the E-paths to the unique history, culture and natural wonder of the European Green Belt.
Can education reverse the tide? How “Let it Flow!” brings hope amidst the climate crisis.
Environmental education can be exciting! Through a unique approach combining theatre-based tools, theoretical knowledge, and field research, the BESTbelt project “Let it Flow!” inspired students from a remote, borderland area in Greece to dive into experiential learning.