The Carpathian Network of Protected Areas kindly invites you to its 2^nd Conference to be held in Tatranská Javorina, Slovakia,
from 23 to 26 April 2013.
The meeting venue is located in the High Tatra National Park area.

The Conference is titled, “Challenges and Opportunities in Carpathian Protected Areas." Acknowledged as models for sustainable development, protected areas harbour various opportunities for regional development that local people can benefit from. They deliver many universal values not only to the local people, but also to society at large; natural values and services build the basis for the well-being of all humans. Sustaining and improving these natural, cultural and socio-economic values is of high importance, and this sustainment requires good management practices as well as the involvement of partners and other stakeholders.

This conference will explore challenges and opportunities for protected areas in terms of sustainable financing, sustainable development, connectivity and continuity, and management planning with a focus on cross-border cooperation. The main events of the conference will be international keynote speeches, workshops including best practices, and various excursions. Presentations and discussions will incorporate best practice examples with innovative approaches from across Europe focusing on the Carpathians.

A plenary session on the CNPA Work Plan for the 2013-2017 period will also be part of the programme; discussions will be based on the Medium-term Strategy adopted at the Conference of the Parties in May 2011. Your input is highly welcome!

To inform and foster discussions, we encourage you to send us a poster about your project in a Carpathian protected area that will be displayed in the meeting hall throughout the conference days. Please get in touch with us if you want to send in a poster representing your project!
Additionally, a photo exhibition featuring the values of the Carpathian protected areas will be set up in the entrance hall of the meeting venue. A photo competition is now open to upload and vote for the best images! Please download your favorite photo of your protected area! The best 20 images will be printed for display and the best 3 pictures will be awarded!

On the 23rd of April 2013, prior to the beginning of the 2nd CNPA Conference, the EU SEE co-funded BioREGIO Carpathians project will hold its mid-term conference at the same meeting venue. You are welcome to attend the event as well as the joint reception which will be offered in the evening later that same day.
A joint press conference on the two events will take place on the 25th of April. For any information on the Mid-Term Conference of the BIOREGIO Carpathians project please visit the website.

The conference language is English.

The Conference is sponsored by the ETC Programme South East Europe, the Visegrad Fund, the Ministry of the Environment of Slovakia, the GEF, the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety, and the Carpathian Wetland Initiative.