Dear Participant,

You have a pivotal role in realizing a sustainable conference, and we are committed to providing you with all the necessary information to facilitate this. The organizing committee and sponsors share a collective understanding of the significance of conducting the event in an environmentally conscious manner. We aim to convey our vision and initiatives for achieving sustainability and share them with you.

Location: Situated centrally in Europe, the City of Ghent is easily accessible by public transport, particularly trains. The venue, 'Het Rustpunt,' is well-connected by public transport options such as buses and trams, available from the train station. Further details on reaching Ghent and Het Rustpunt can be found here.
The venue's size has been chosen thoughtfully, minimizing energy consumption for lighting and heating. Ghent's climate in late April typically ranges from 6 to 19 degrees Celsius. We recommend checking the weather forecast closer to the conference date and preparing accordingly, especially for outdoor activities such as site visits, guided tours, and walking to the GUM for the social dinner.

We strongly recommend booking your stay in a Green Key hotel or hostel for an eco-friendly accommodation experience. Additional information can be found here.

Mobility: Transportation is a significant contributor to the environmental impact of events, particularly air travel. If possible, consider using high-speed trains, with Brussels being a European hub and less than an hour away from Ghent. For those arriving by plane or car, we encourage reflecting on and compensating for the associated CO2 emissions. Carpooling with participants from your country or region is also a commendable option. Detailed information on reaching the location can be found on our website.

We also have prioritized local suppliers and caterers to reduce travel distances and promote environmentally friendly transportation.

Food and Drink: Adhering to sustainable catering policies, our caterers focus on plant-based dishes, and a vegetarian diet is offered as standard. To minimize single-use plastic, we encourage you to bring your reusable water bottle as tap water in Belgium is 100% potable.

Preventing Waste: To streamline event planning and minimize waste, we kindly ask you to register in advance for various activities and meals. This helps us accommodate the number of participants accurately, reducing unnecessary surplus. In our commitment to sustainability, we will refrain from distributing gadgets and goodie bags. Name tag holders will be reused, and we appreciate your cooperation in sorting waste materials (PMD, paper, VGF, and residual waste).

Communication: All invitations and registrations will be conducted digitally, and comprehensive conference information will be available on the website.

Inclusiveness: Beyond environmental impact, sustainability encompasses inclusiveness. To ensure an enjoyable experience for all, we emphasize diverse participant and speaker backgrounds. We offer a registration fee reduction for young participants and those from lower-income countries.

Thank you for your contribution to making this conference a sustainable and inclusive success.

The above recommendations are in line with the Ghent University Charter and Visit Flanders guidelines on sustainability.