BESTbelt Pan-European Conference 2024
The BESTbelt Pan-European Conference took place from 14. - 18. October in the Baltic section of the European Green Belt, more specifically in Latvia. The conference offered multiple opportunities for exchange and mutual learning through presentations, working groups, a field trip and informal discussions. More than 80 participants from over 60 different organisations from nearly all countries along the European Green Belt attended the conference to discuss, learn from each other and strengthen or initiate collaboration.
Conference programme
Opening and welcome
• Dace Sāmīte, Director of Kurzeme Regional Administration
• Jutta Paulus, Member of the European Parliament (video message)
• Ben Caspar, European Commission
Session 1: BESTbelt - More power for the European Green Belt
• BESTbelt – More power for the European Green Belt, Anne Katrin Heinrichs, EuroNatur
• Project Rallye of BESTbelt funded Projects
You can find a gallery of all BESTbelt posters below. In addition, you can find more information about each project here.
Posters from BESTbelt projects
Session 2: Potential of the Nature Restoration Law for the European Green Belt
• Presentation and discussion, Ben Caspar and Hélène Perrier, European Commission
Session 3: Generating nature-based income
• Potential of green jobs for the European Green Belt in Bulgaria, Anne Katrin Heinrichs, EuroNatur and Fostering regional employment and promoting green jobs for the European Green Belt Case study Bulgaria, Petko Tzvetkov, Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation
• Local engagement in supporting development of nature-based businesses in Shar-Korab Koritnik Mountains, Frosina Pandurska Dramikjanin, Macedonian, Ecological Society
• EuroVelo 13 –Iron Curtain Trail - Governance, promotion and innovative business model for cycling along the European Green Belt, Agathe Daudibon, European Cyclists’ Federation
• Discussion
Session 4: The European Green Belt on the way to a UNESCO World Heritage designation
• Best Practice: Inclusion of the German green belt on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage sites; Liana Geidezis, BUND Department Green Belt
• UNESCO World Heritage: What does it mean and which steps are necessary? Alexandra Kruse, Insitu Heritage Consulting
• Discussion
Session 5: Poster Session
Guided poster session facilitated by BESTbelt Project team.
You can find a gallery of all posters below.
Posters from the European Green Belt
European Green Belt Fair
Traditional food and drinks from along the European Green Belt
Working groups on the road
Fieldtrip to visit BESTbelt best practices close to Jurmala including lunch, coffee breaks, and dinner
Session 6: Review of BESTbelt Conference
• Wrap-up of field-trip and main findings of the first conference day
• Outlook on the last conference day
Session 7: Experiencing the European Green Belt
• 360 Grad Tours, Karin Kowol, BUND Thuringia
• Digital Field Guide Green Belt Germany, Thom Gallie, berlinHistory e.V.
• Borderlands – exploring the Fennoscandian Green Belt, Diane Robert, Borderlands Project (Oxford University)
• Discussion
Session 8: Tools and next steps to further develop and promote the European Green Belt
• Promotion of joint communication activities, Jessica Bitsch, EuroNatur
• European Green Belt Days, Selcuk Aslan, Association Back to Nature
• European Green Belt Municipality Award for the Municipality of Stregna, Italy, Francesca Visintin, Rete Italiana EGB
• Vision for a European Green Belt Hiking Trail, Petko Tzvetkov, Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation
• Expansion of the European Green Belt Network, Gabriel Schwaderer, EuroNatur
“Market of possibilities” to discuss the presented approaches and their implementation
Wrap-up and closing of conference