The Scientific Steering Group of the Scientific Network for Caucasus Mountain Regions gather to discuss the upcoming third Caucasus Mountain Forum
The Caucasus Mountain Forum (CMF) is a vital initiative of the Science Network for Caucasus Mountain Regions, a tradition since 2016. The CMF serves as a significant opportunity for scientists and practitioners to meet and exchange views on opportunities and challenges and thereby seek to enhance sub-regional dialogue and contribute to the better coordination of sustainable development of the Caucasus region.
The third Caucasus Mountain Forum (CMF3) is planned for the end of September 2021. The Forum’s overall goal and long-term objective are to support regional cooperation and joint research among the Caucasus scientists and thereby promote evidence-based decision-making for sustainable development.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of the Scientific Steering Group members from the six countries (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey) as well as by the colleagues from the GiZ Caucasus Biodiversity Program willing to cooperate under the CMF3 and Carolina Adler, the Executive Director of the Mountain Research Initiative and Co-chair of Scientific Committee of the third Caucasus Mountain Forum.
The main topics for the discussion were the modality and themes of the plenary sessions of the Forum.
The meeting participants agreed that the 3rd Caucasus Mountain Forum will take place in Kutaisi, Georgia, in September 2021. If the pandemic situation allows, it will be face to face with open opportunities to join plenary sessions online. Sustainable Caucasus, as the Secretariat of the
Scientific Network for Caucasus Mountain Regions (SNC-mt) signed the cooperation memorandum with Kutaisi, Akaki Tsereteli State University. This cooperation will facilitate the involvement of stakeholders in international scientific networks and the opportunity to hold a scientific conference of the third Caucasus Mountain Forum with the university's support.
Considering the challenges in the tourism sector as an essential livelihood for most Caucasus mountain communities, members of the scientific steering committee agreed that the Caucasus Mountain Forum's plenary sessions will be mostly focused on the different aspects of Sustainable Tourism Development.
The announcement and “Call for Abstracts” will be published in early April 2021.
The Forum will be potentially supported by the Green Economy Sustainable Mountain Tourism and Organic Agriculture (GRETA) Project of ADA/EU/SIDA and SDC.
