Dr. Shamila Nair-Bedouelle

Assistant Director General for Natural Sciences, UNESCO

"Ladies and gentlemen,

For the past 50 years, UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme has sought to reconcile human beings with nature through its network of biosphere reserves. Today, these number 727 in 131 countries. Some 22 of these are transboundary. Last year, we even reached a milestone with the creation of the first biosphere reserve spanning five countries. This is the Mura-Drava-Danube Biosphere Reserve, which is shared by Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia and spans almost 1 million hectares. The Lima Action Plan highlights the extent to which opportunities for research and training contribute to the smooth running of biosphere reserves. This conference will be essential to shed light on what this research has achieved and to guide future pathways for UNESCO biosphere reserves. May I wish you all a stimulating conference and I look forward to working with all of you."

Dr. Bettina Hoffmann

State Secretary, Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection

"Dear participants of the conference,

I would like to warmly welcome all of you. A special welcome from Germany to the international guests from around the world. Welcome to the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve. It is a special place. Of the 16 UNESCO biosphere reserves in Germany, it is one of the three oldest. There is a wealth of experience here, which can surely also benefit and provide inspiration for this very important UNESCO event. I am delighted that over 100 researchers from more than 40 countries have gathered here to discuss current issues relating to the UNESCO programme “Man and the Biosphere”– the MAB Programme for short.

My particular thanks go to the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development and its Biosphere Reserves Institute for the excellent work

organising this international conference. The outcomes will certainly be successful and far-reaching and lead to further innovations in the MAB

Programme. I wish you every success and good results."

Dr. Manja Schüle

Minister, Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of Brandenburg

"Dear conference participants,

The Biosphere Reserves Institute (BRI) of the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) was founded in 2019. Within a short time, BRI has made a name for itself among biosphere reserves regionally as well as nationally, and internationally as a high-profile research institution and think tank. This project exemplifies the role of Brandenburg universities as important drivers of innovation in research, teaching and transfer. And it underlines the HNEE‘s distinctive profile and special focus on sustainability transformation which is crucial for all of us. With the application for recognition of BRI as a UNESCO partner institute, the HNEE has taken another significant step towards top-level renown. The BRI is funded by the Future Program for the Universities of Applied Sciences in Brandenburg which was launched by my ministry in 2018 and which also paved the way for this conference. I am thrilled to see young researchers from so many countries coming together

to share research findings, views and experiences. Therefore, I have gladly accepted the HNEE’s request to be the patron of this conference. I wish you all a very pleasant stay in Brandenburg and a successful and delightful conference!"

Axel Vogel

Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Climate Protection of Brandenburg

"Dear conference participants,

With three UNESCO biosphere reserves, Brandenburg has long been a member of the worldwide large family of biosphere reserves. The three biosphere reserves are part of the system of 15 large natural landscapes of Brandenburg, which also includes 11 nature parks and the Lower

Oder Valley National Park. In Schorfheide-Chorin, in the Spree Forest and in the Elbe Brandenburg River Landscape, ideas are being tested and projects implemented to promote the sustainable and climate-friendly coexistence of people and nature now and for the future.

During the conference, it will be very exciting to hear how you have initiated developments in your biosphere reserves, how you are tackling problems and, in general, what ideas you are using to bring the biosphere reserves' mission statement 'Man and the Biosphere' to life. Conversely, I hope that you will take away one or two suggestions from

us in Brandenburg. With this in mind, I wish you a successful conference and a fruitful exchange of ideas."