Organization

NON-POLITICAL  FORUM

Considering the accelerating development in information technology and alternative facts, non-political scientific forums will have a crucial role in the future providing decision-makers with unbiased factual support. SLU’s broad mission based on a non-political tradition together with the Swedish demo- cratic model ensures that the World Congress constitutes a non-political forum. The model implies gender equality and that all persons are equally treated. All opinions are given the opportunity to appear in the dialogue and through media. This culture should permeate the entire congress all the way from from the opening of the World Congress to the post-Congress excursions. SLU recognizes the IUFRO World Congress as an important forum to review forestry development in accordance to indicators in the Agenda 2030. This is suggested to be in line with the IUFRO strategy.

Community spirit

The application process has been characterized by a strong community spirit around the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, full of energy and future expectation of an upcoming hosting of the World Congress. The intention to build awareness of the Congress is a true strength in the Nordic bid, not the least expressed through the number of Letters of support. With active support and leadership by the network of the Nordic and Baltic agricultural universities, SLU Global, the Think Tank for International Forestry Issues (SIFI), and of the African Forest Forum (AFF), the World Congress will have strong prospects for reaching out to a broad global audience.

SLU has been coordinating the application process in collaboration with the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA), the Forestry Research Institute (SkogForsk) and the City of Stockholm. Students are a vital group for the future of the forestry sector. They will have a central role in the planning and implementation of the congress, e.g. through moderation of sessions and excursions.

National IUFRO groups supports the work with the World Congress. The Chair of the Congress Organizing Committee (COC), appointed Director of IUFRO World Congress 2024, is strongly supported by SLU and other key actors in Nordic forestry. Those responsible for in congress as well as post congress tours hold strategic positions in academia, NGOs  and business. The suggested organizational committee should consist of members responsible for the management of several smaller sub-groups, organizing, among other activities, excursions and the venue.

Experienced and dedicated

Stakeholders from all Nordic and Baltic countries, and not at least from Sweden, will support the management of the World Congress with human resources. They are known to be experienced, effective and dedicated excursion organizers. The management of the World Congress activities at the venue is mainly conducted by Professional Congress Organizers (PCO) reinforced by a strong student support. SLU has its own experienced PCO working in the fields of agricultural and medical sciences. The COC works closely with, and is supported by,  the Scientific Committee, under the mandate of IUFRO.

Information about the Swedish IUFRO World  Congress will be communicated,  not  only  to  the  international  forest research community, but  also to the industry, authorities, NGOs, students and the general public in the Nordic  and Baltic countries, as well as internationally. The national IUFRO groups, the COC, the PCO, the communication departments and the students will work together with the sponsor team to implement the marketing strategy.