Building a Resilient Baltic Sea Region – Perspectives and Possibilities

In October 2024, the Annual Forum for the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region was held in Visby, gathering over 600 participants in intensive discussions on sustainability, resilience, and security. In June 2025, a follow-up meeting will be organised focusing on civil and societal preparedness in the Baltic Sea region.
A photo of a logo which says EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region

Given the current security situation in Europe and the importance of strengthening cooperation within the region, we will jointly discuss how we can build resilience. We also welcome Ukrainian colleagues to share their experiences.

Thematic Areas:

  • Sustainable energy supply: Ensuring energy security and regional resilience as key
    components of civil preparedness – addressing vulnerabilities and building capacity
    to maintain energy supply during crises.
  • Resilient food systems: Exploring how sustainable food supplies can be secured
    through increased self-sufficiency, reliable international trade, and robust value chains – all essential for societal preparedness in times of disruption.
  • Resilience of critical societal functions: Exploring how to ensure the continuity of
    essential services such as electricity, water and food supply, medical supply,
    healthcare, and financial systems on local and regional levels during crises. This
    includes both the robustness of physical infrastructure and the capacity of institutions
    to operate under pressure.
  • Resilience at the individual level: Focusing on how to strengthen citizens’ personal
    preparedness, including their ability to prepare for and act during crises, manage
    stress, and maintain mental wellbeing in crisis situations.

Participants:
The meeting targets stakeholders working with transnational and national development processes within the four thematic areas from the entire Baltic Sea Region. We also welcome Ukrainian colleagues to learn from Ukraine’s experiences. We welcome different perspectives and sectors to strengthen existing collaborations and create new initiatives.

Programme Overview:
The programme starts with an evening reception hosted by Region Gotland on June 16. A full-day programme on June 17 is followed by an evening reception hosted by the Governor of Gotland. The programme continues on June 18 and concludes with lunch. The day is based on inspirational presentations and joint discussions among participants.

The programme is free and includes lunches and coffee breaks. Please note that travel and accommodation expenses are to be covered by the participants themselves. A detailed programme will be made available in the first week of May.

Registration:
Register via this link. Registration closes on May 16.

The number of participants is limited to 70, so we encourage early registration.

Warmly welcome to Visby!

The meeting is organised by the Swedish Institute in cooperation with the Swedish Government Offices, Norden Association, and Region Gotland.