8th Forum Carpaticum: Taking stock and building partnership for sustainable development of the mountain and rural areas, 9-11 September 2025, Bratislava, Slovakia
The 8th Forum Carpaticum conference brought together researchers, policymakers, civil society actors, and practitioners from across Central and Eastern Europe and beyond. Hosted at Comenius University Bratislava, the forum served as a platform for sharing knowledge, strengthening cross-border collaboration, and advancing sustainable development in the mountain and rural regions of the Carpathians.
The conference focused on two main themes: building capabilities for inclusive development and bridging natural and social sciences. Together, these discussions highlighted the importance of strengthening skills and partnerships across the region, while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to better understand and address the challenges facing the Carpathians.
The conference included sessions on:
- Transboundary Strategies for Strengthening Carpathian Landscape Governance - - Empowering Local Communities to Act for Change
- Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for mountain sustainability through transdisciplinary collaboration
- Safeguarding Carpathian Pastoralism
- Collaborative Environmental Justice Initiatives in Central and Eastern Europe across Urban and Rural Divides
- Plastics in the Mountains
- Supporting Green Recovery in Ukraine – plenary panel discussion
- Historical Ecology and Geography: New Perspectives for Conservation and Management
- Carpathian Waters
- Education for Sustainable Development: Session of the Carpathian ESD Expert Network (CESDEN)
- Accessibility, Development Paths and Windows of Opportunities in Core-Periphery Systems
- Bridging Natural and Social Sciences for Sustainable Development and Impact-Driven Research through Transdisciplinary Approaches
- Innovative Methods and Tools for Integrating Economic, Social and Environmental Aspects to Bridge Science-Policy Interface for Better Decisions in Forestry
The conference also featured four side events: SERIGO COP Workshop, Fostering Collaboration for Communities in the Ukrainian Carpathians, Sustainable Journeys: Digital Integration for Cross-Border Attractions in the PLSK Region – The Central Mountains Experience, and Carpathian Fair.