International conference for the anniversary of the inscription of the site ‘Karst and Northern Apennine Caves’ in the UNESCO World Heritage List”

The international conference “Karst Areas in Gypsum: Conservation, Management, and Use - Challenges and Opportunities for the UNESCO World Heritage of the Northern Apennines” is organized on the occasion of the anniversary of the inscription of the serial site in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The conference will take place over four days: two days of conference sessions (September 19-20) at the 20 Maggio Hall in the Third Tower in Bologna (headquarters of the Emilia-Romagna Region), and two days of guided excursions (September 21-22) to the UNESCO sites that constitute the serial site “Karst and Caves of the Northern Apennines.”

The event will feature three thematic sessions, a roundtable discussion, and three excursions, all coordinated and led by national and international experts. The goal is to present the state of the art and critically contextualize the topics under discussion, leading to the final roundtable debate.

The conference aims to delve into the naturalistic peculiarities of gypsum karst areas in Italy and Europe, exploring various aspects and challenges related to their management and use. It is organized in collaboration with the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, the University of Bologna, the Regional Speleological Federation of Emilia-Romagna, and the managing bodies of protected areas.

During the conference, the results of the project related to Italy’s new UNESCO site will be presented.