© Gavrilo Knežević

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.

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The European Green Belt Initiative

Borders separate. Nature unites!

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BESTbelt Pan-European Conference 2024 was a great success!

More than 80 participants from over 60 different organisations from nearly all countries along the European Green Belt attended the conference from 14. - 18. October to discuss, learn from each other and strengthen or initiate collaboration. Read more about the conference here!

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The European Green Belt Days 2024 were colorful!

This year, many celebrations took place along the European Green Belt: organizations came up with a lot of different ideas to share knowledge about the European Green Belt and engage people in celebrating our joint heritage. Find out more about the celebrations!

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