October 2023 meeting of the joint organizing committee for the Eighth Mediterranean Forest Week

The joint organizing committee of the Eighth Mediterranean Forest Week (MFW) and the Twenty-Fifth Session of Silva Mediterranea convened for its second meeting on 13 October 2023, in Rome, Italy. The meeting, which included remote attendance via Zoom, led to crucial decisions regarding the event’s location, scheduling, thematic sessions and other logistical arrangements.  

One of the primary objectives of the meeting was to discuss the hosting location and scheduling of the next MFW. The European Forest Institute’s Mediterranean Facility (EFIMED) will host the event in its offices, in Barcelona, Spain, and provide substantial support to the Silva Mediterranea secretariat. Discussions also led to the postponing of the MFW and the Silva Mediterranea session, with new dates proposed for late October or early November 2024. 

Regarding languages, the committee decided that English and French would serve as the official languages for the event, with the possibility of incorporating Spanish interpretation during the opening session. 

The committee also discussed the thematic sessions, proposing a total of six plenary sessions, with the inclusion of preparatory webinars leading up to the event. A call for session proposals was outlined, along with requirements for acceptance, including a mandate for each session organizer to contribute an article for the event’s proceedings. The discussion extended to youth participation, led by the Mediterranean Youth Taskforce, emphasizing the importance of engaging young voices in the dialogue. 

To enhance the event’s visibility, the committee emphasized the need for an effective call for proposals, ensuring that the selected authors would have the opportunity to showcase their work during the event. It was proposed that the event would adopt a hybrid format, enabling the broadcasting of plenary sessions to a wider audience. 

The meeting concluded with a commitment to reconvene on 11 December 2023, to assess the proposals for the thematic sessions and finalize the event’s programme. With these developments, preparations for the Eighth MFW and Twenty-Fifth Session of Silva Mediterranea are well underway, promising to be a dynamic and engaging event for all participants. 

                                                                                                                                                                                     Emily Rowe (FAO)