The BIOPOLIS Association (CiBIO) and the University of Porto, on behalf of Portugal, will host the 31st meeting of the GBIF Governing Board. The event will take place from October 1 to 4, 2024, at the BIOPOLIS campus in Vairão, Vila do Conde.
The Governing Board is the highest decision-making body of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), with representatives from the governments of 63 member countries and 43 international organizations. Additionally, non-member countries, international organizations, and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) are invited to attend as observers.
This annual meeting provides a platform to present the progress made by the various committees and the international GBIF Secretariat, as well as to discuss future strategies and developments for the organization. During the event, the prestigious annual GBIF awards will be presented, including the 2024 GBIF Young Researchers Award and the Ebbe Nielsen Challenge. The Young Researchers Award recognizes the innovative use of GBIF in biodiversity informatics by master’s or doctoral students, while the Ebbe Nielsen Challenge celebrates contributions from scientists, data modelers, software developers, and other experts. Portuguese students previously won the Young Researchers Award in 2023 and 2018.
As part of the meeting, the symposium "Using GBIF to Mainstream Biodiversity in Governments, the Private Sector, and Society" will be held on October 2, organized by BIOPOLIS. This symposium is open to the public and can be attended in person or online. Further details and registration information can be found here.
The meeting program will include an excursion to Quinta do Seixo, located in the Alto Douro wine region, one of the world’s oldest wine regions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where participants will find a unique blend of tradition and cutting-edge viticultural practices, including best agrobiodiversity conservation practices.
GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, is an international network and research infrastructure funded by governments worldwide. Its mission is to provide open access to data on all forms of life on Earth, making it freely available to anyone, anywhere.