The Natural Heritage Mission hosted a productive and engaging meeting with the Thematic Projects (TPs) on June 26-27, 2024, in Rovinj, Croatia. The event was organized by the Marine Institute in Croatia, a partner in the Dialogue4Nature project.
This gathering provided an opportunity for the lead partners and communication managers from all 13 Thematic Projects, as well as partners from the Natural Heritage Mission’s Governance projects (Community4Nature and Dialogue4Nature), to meet in person. The community embraced the local culture with a visit to the Eco-Museum Batana, a cultural center dedicated to preserving the region’s maritime and fishing heritage. The event also coincided with European Maritime Day in my Country, where a poster exhibition on marine conservation was held in collaboration with Marevivo (Mission’s Associated Partner), featuring contributions from the TREASURE and MedSeaRise Thematic Projects.
On the second day, participants engaged in dynamic discussions and interactive sessions on key topics such as amplifying project results, synergies between initiatives, policy and legislative frameworks, and enhancing communication strategies. The attendees worked together to create a joint calendar for the upcoming period, sharing milestones and events from their projects to foster a comprehensive view of the community’s ongoing work and identify opportunities for collaboration.
During a policy-focused interactive session, each thematic project presented their approach to engaging with global and EU policy frameworks through their results. They discussed how the Mission could support these efforts, revisited policies highlighted during the application phase, and identified new ones, including the EU Nature Restoration Law, the Common Agricultural Policy, and the EU Forest Strategy. Projects also mapped out key policy-relevant outputs and the support they would need from the Mission to reach specific stakeholders. This session helped identify important external events for both the Thematic Projects and the broader Mission community.
The meeting also included a capacity-building activity aimed at enhancing the communication and collaboration skills of Thematic Project partners. This session focused on improving visibility and ensuring efficient cooperation with the Governance Projects. The day concluded with a summary session, which reflected on the key takeaways and outlined next steps for the community.
Overall, the meeting was a significant success, fostering cooperation, aligning policy objectives, and developing strategic communication plans. According to the representatives of the Thematic Projects, the most valuable outcomes included the networking opportunities to build a stronger community, amplify project activities, and identify potential synergies for future collaboration—whether through shared tools, methodologies, or joint events.
