Call for expressions of interest

Back-to-back meetings with the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity 2026 

Status: Call open - Express your interest here

Submission deadline: 31st March 2025

Feedback: 15th May 2025

Location: Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), InnovOcean Campus, Ostend. Only 30 minutes from Bruges.

From 17-20 November 2026, the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) is organizing the 7^th edition of the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity (WCMB 2026) in the city of Bruges, Belgium. 

An extraordinary meeting opportunity will be provided to the marine scientific community in November 2026, coinciding with WCMB 2026. VLIZ will be opening its meeting rooms in Ostend in the weeks of 9-13 November and 23-27 November, providing the opportunity to organize meetings back-to-back with WCMB 2026.  

This action allows people to attend two major scientific activities within a single travel, and can stimulate groups and organisations to also present their initiatives during the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity. This back-2-back meeting opportunity will not only contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 Life below water - but can also greatly contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 – Climate Action. By combining several meeting occasions into a single travel, we can reduce our carbon footprint. On the leisure side, it provides participants of both a back-to-back meeting and WCMB 2026 the opportunity to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bruges and its surroundings over a weekend. The home city of VLIZ – Ostend – is only 30 minutes away from Bruges, the host city of WCMB 2026. There is easy (public) transportation between Ostend and Bruges. 

If you, your marine project, initiative or community would have an interest in organizing your (project) meeting back-to-back with the World Conference, this is your chance to inform us of this, so we can start planning. 

VLIZ is offering several (9) meeting rooms during these two weeks (9-13 Nov & 23-27 Nov), ranging in capacity from 8 to 140 people. The meeting rooms themselves are offered free of charge, although costs for catering will apply at a fixed price of 35€ per person, per day. This price includes use of the rooms, technical support, a morning and afternoon coffee break, as well as a varied sandwich lunch. Each meeting room offers Wi-Fi and a big screen for projection. Upon request, hybrid meetings can be facilitated. 

Does your community have an interest in this opportunity? Then you can complete the online form by 31^st March 2025. The required information includes:

• Meeting information: title, framework, short summary & background on the proposed meeting
• Contact information of lead organisor, and a back-up contact
• Practical information: estimated number of participants & requested dates
• Link with the WCMB

Feedback will be provided by May 15^th 2025 at the latest.