About CMF 2023
The third Caucasus Mountain Forum under the title “Transdisciplinarity for Sustainable Tourism Development: Role of Caucasus Scientists” will be devoted to tourism development perspectives and challenges in the region, identified as one of the hottest issues by the Caucasus Regional Research Agenda (C-RRA) adopted by the second CMF in Ankara.
CMF3 will offer a combination of plenary sessions open to the public, research sessions, workshops, and poster sessions. Plenary Sessions will cover the following topics:
- Inter- and Transdisciplinary approaches in landscapes protection and mountain tourism development: Role of Scientists in Research, Planning, and Development
- Tourism as the main livelihood for sustainable mountain development: Compatibility of Innovation and Tradition
- Environmental Protection and Climate Change Response a Key Challenge for Developing Responsible Tourism Industry
CMF3 will be held in Kutaisi, Georgia at Akaki Tsereteli State University.
The Caucasus Mountain Forum (CMF) is a flagship initiative of the Scientific Network for Caucasus Mountain Regions (SNC-mt). The regional context of the Caucasus provides a major motivation for organizing biannual regional forums for different stakeholders working on the Caucasus mountain region. The CMFs serve as an important opportunity for scientists and academics, governmental experts, and practitioners to meet and exchange views on opportunities and challenges of sustainable development in the Caucasus region. The CMFs seek to enhance (sub)-regional dialogue and to contribute to better coordination for the progress and prosperity in the region.
The first Caucasus Mountain Forum was held in 2016 in Tbilisi, Georgia, and the second in 2019 in Ankara, Turkey. Each gathered over 150 participants from the countries of the Caucasus Ecoregion as well as scientists and practitioners from more than 20 other countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Both Forums were organized with Swiss governmental funding sources such as the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the United Nations Environment Programme.
The CMF has become an acknowledged platform for regional dialogue and cooperation where different stakeholders are able to share study results, ideas, and experiences and seek opportunities for further collaboration.
CMF 2023 Objectives
Building on the findings and experiences of the two previous Caucasus Mountain Forums, the members of the Scientific Network for Caucasus Mountain Regions (SNC-mt) Scientific Steering Group will organise the third Caucasus Mountain Forum (CMF) in 2023 and thereby continue to ensure the sustainability of scientific cooperation and exchange, as well as maintain the science-practice interface through regular dialogue.
The Third Caucasus Mountain Forum (CMF3) follows in the footsteps of CMF1 (2016) and CMF 2 (2019) in serving as a crucial opportunity for constructive interaction between scientists, governmental experts, and practitioners; debate on opportunities and challenges; and contributions to the improved coordination of sustainable development in the Caucasus region.
The third Caucasus Mountain Forum will be organised on July 4-6 2023 in Kutaisi, Georgia under the title: “Transdisciplinarity for Sustainable Tourism Development: Role of Caucasus Scientists”.
While the focus will be on tourism, CMF3 will also discuss the other chapters of the Caucasus Regional Research Agenda (C-RRA):
- Climate Change
- Biodiversity
- Forest Resources
- Water Resources
- Land Use (including Pasture Management)
- Natural Hazards
- Population and Cultural Diversity
- Socio-economic Development and Planning
- Mountain Cryosphere
The specific objectives of the third Caucasus Mountain Forum (CMF3) are to:
- Present the scientific findings and practitioner experiences generated since CMF2
- Enhance the links between research, policymaking, and practice in the field of sustainable mountain development
- Draw the attention of Caucasus countries’ practitioners to the needs and priorities in research and development for a sustainable future in the Caucasus
- Showcase the latest scientifically-informed activities fostering progress towards sustainability in the Caucasus mountain region
- Review the progress of C-RRA implementation
- Review and facilitate regional research and promote sub-regional, regional, and international cooperation, exchange of knowledge, and know-how among concerned scientific groups working for sustainable mountain development.
Call for Abstracts
CMF3 will offer a combination of plenary sessions open to the public, research sessions, workshops, and poster sessions. The organisers invite participants to choose among the following types of contributions:
- Abstracts for oral presentation in research sessions (max 300 words + 5 keywords). Research sessions provide academic researchers with a chance to present and discuss their latest scientific findings. Researchers from non-academic settings (NGOs, government, private sector) are also invited.
- Abstracts for a practical example in a workshop (max. 300 words). The purpose of the workshops is to stimulate discussion and exchange between practitioners and scientists. Practical examples in policy advocacy; scientific networking; leveraging spatial data education for sustainable development, natural hazards, and disaster risk reduction are expected. As a consequence, workshop presentations are expected to be short, focusing on practical insights from development projects, policy initiatives, or teaching practices.
- Abstracts for a poster presentation (max. 200 words). Posters will be displayed in a prominent area. Poster presenters will attend two dedicated poster sessions. The size of the posters should not exceed A0 format (84 cm x 119 cm). One-page handouts will be available. The prize for the best poster will be awarded during the closing session.
Abstract submission deadline: 15 January 2023
Deadline for the notification of abstract acceptance: 15 February 2023
Abstracts are to be submitted in English only to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. using the Abstract Submission Form.
Scholarships will be available primarily for participants from the region.
Registration is now open, click here to register.
