Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region
06 November 2024
We attended the Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, held in Visby, Gotland, on October 30-31, with a side event on October 29. This gathering brought together stakeholders across the region to focus on Sustainability, Resilience, and Security. More than 650 participants from all 9 BSR countries and Ukraine joined the event.
The Forum included four key elements:
- Engagement: The pre-event introduced new stakeholders to the Strategy, with opportunities for networking and discussion. We particularly liked the discussions and possibility to shape next funding period by sharing experiences and lessons learned.
- Co-creation: Interactive workshops and panels fostered cross-sectoral collaboration to address regional challenges.
- Policy Dialogues: Key dialogues explored strategic solutions to advance the region’s development goals. It was interesting to hear the opinions and views on many stakeholders on what are the strategic ways for the whole BSR.
- Networking Village: This social hub encouraged informal networking, bringing together representatives from Pan-Baltic organizations, financial programs, and more. Here we showcased the recently piloted ALUM treatment in Lake Velnezers and answered a variety of questions starting from very technical implementation until stakeholder engagement and building trust in new water treatment methods for the Baltic region.
This year, the Forum emphasized strengthening ties within the region and building connections with Ukraine, continuing efforts led by the Swedish EUSBSR Presidency. The event was an inspiring step toward a more connected and resilient Baltic Sea Region.