Theme

The strategic theme of Euro’Meet 2026

Theme

The strategic theme of Euro’Meet 2026

Euro’Meet 2026 is built around the theme “A shared relationship with nature”. This theme is not only a slogan. It is the strategic question at the heart of the conference: how can outdoor sports and recreation help European societies renew their relationship with nature, while responding to the major social, environmental and territorial challenges of our time?

 

Across Europe, outdoor sports and recreation are increasingly connected to public health, education, social cohesion, access to nature, sustainable tourism, biodiversity, land use, climate adaptation and the future of local communities. These questions are no longer peripheral. They are becoming central to public policy, territorial planning and the future of the outdoor sector.

 

Euro’Meet 2026 will therefore approach the theme as a shared European agenda. It will bring together different countries, sectors and professional perspectives to explore how outdoor sports and recreation can remain open, inclusive and meaningful, while becoming more responsible, better connected to nature, and more capable of contributing to ecological and social transitions.

 

The conference will be structured around three strategic dimensions.

Togetherness
Building a stronger European outdoor movement

Outdoor sports and recreation are shaped by people, communities and organisations working across many different fields: public authorities, clubs, associations, educators, researchers, land managers, protected areas, tourism actors, volunteers and outdoor professionals.

The challenge is no longer only to promote participation. It is to build stronger cooperation between these actors, to connect local experience with European thinking, and to develop a more coherent outdoor movement capable of responding to complex challenges.

At Euro’Meet 2026, togetherness will be explored as a strategic condition for the future of outdoor sports and recreation. How can we work better across sectors? How can we connect policy, practice and research? How can outdoor communities contribute to more resilient, active and connected societies?

Access and accessibility
Rethinking the conditions for outdoor life

Access to nature is one of the foundations of outdoor sports and recreation. But access is not only about reaching a place. It is also about rights, planning, mobility, information, safety, affordability, skills, cultural codes, environmental responsibility and the capacity of landscapes to host people without being degraded.

In a European context marked by increasing pressure on natural areas, social inequalities, climate change and competing land uses, access must be discussed at a much deeper level. The question is not simply how to bring more people outdoors. It is how to organise fair, sustainable and responsible access to nature.

Euro’Meet 2026 will explore how different European countries and territories address this question, from public rights of access and friluftsliv traditions to infrastructure, governance models, education, visitor management and environmental stewardship.

 

Inclusion and diversity
making outdoor sports part of a more open society

Outdoor sports and recreation carry a strong promise: they can create confidence, connection, freedom, learning and belonging. But this promise is still unevenly distributed. Many people remain underrepresented or face barriers linked to gender, age, disability, income, origin, social background, geography, confidence, equipment, safety or cultural representation.

For Euro’Meet 2026, inclusion and diversity are not treated as secondary topics. They are central to the future legitimacy of outdoor sports and recreation. A sector that speaks about access to nature must also ask who feels welcome, who is visible, who has influence, and who benefits from outdoor opportunities.

The conference will create space to discuss how outdoor sports organisations, public institutions, educators and local communities can move from good intentions to structural change, and how inclusion can become part of the way outdoor policies, programmes, places and professional cultures are designed.

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Together, these three dimensions form the strategic backbone of Euro’Meet 2026. They connect the Nordic tradition of friluftsliv with wider European debates on outdoor sports, nature, public policy and social transformation.

Euro’Meet 2026 will will provide a European platform to think collectively about the future of outdoor life and the role outdoor sports and recreation can play in shaping healthier, more inclusive and more sustainable societies.

Secure your spot!

Registration for Euro’Meet 2026 is now open, with early-bird rates available for a limited time.

You can also explore the first draft of the three-day conference programme, learn more about selected outdoor activities, and find practical information on travel to and accommodation in Sundsvall.

In the months leading up to the conference, we will introduce speakers, organisers, and contributors through a series of mini interviews – offering insights into the people, ideas, and perspectives that shape Euro’Meet 2026.

It’s time to secure your place among colleagues, practitioners, researchers, and outdoor enthusiasts from across Europe for three days of shared experiences, open knowledge-sharing, and meaningful conversations.

Host and partners