EGEA - European Geography Association for students & young geographers

EGEA Toruń Welcomes EGEA Wrocław
2026-03-06 08:00 - 2026-03-08 17:30 (Europe/Warsaw)
From March 6 to 8, EGEA Toruń will be hosting EGEA Wrocław as part of a re-exchange. We can’t wait to hang out together in a medieval city filled with the smell of gingerbread!

Egea Ljubljana welcomes Egea Warsaw
2026-03-06 08:00 - 2026-03-09 17:00 (Europe/Prague)
The second part of an amazing exchange is just one day away and we are already bouncing of the walls. Warsaw was always a delightful and precious entity with whom we have a long lasting tradition of organising exchanges. Let’s keep it that way.

Teams & Projects Promotion Event
2026-03-12 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/Prague)
As every year, there is an event to promote Teams & Projects at this time: the Teams & Projects Promotion Week. This year, to give you the opportunity to meet the people behind them and these bodies and see what they can do, we are launching a new series of promotional events.

We invite you to the first event on Thursday, 12th of March at 19:00 CET. You can join the event by Google Meet link. It will include small presentations but mostly games.

Google Meet link

EMRC 2026 ORGA Team live meeting in Pärnu
2026-03-13 08:00 - 2026-03-15 17:00 (Europe/Prague)
Members of the orga team of EMRC 2026 from EGEA Vilnius and EGEA Tartu will meet at a cottage in Pärnu, western part of Estonia, to plan for the congress, make t-shirts, take team pictures and craft decorations.

Western Regional Congress 2026: Adventure and Heritage
2026-03-16 14:00 - 2026-03-20 12:00 (Europe/Prague)
Experience the Eifel with us!

Western Regional Congress 2026: Adventure and Heritage

Introduction

Gude dear Egeans and welcome to the official WRC 2026 Website, hosted by EGEA Marburg!

The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany, located between the Rhine, Moselle and Belgian border. It is famous for its volcanic landscape with crater lakes, dense forest, charming medieval castles, and the racing track Nürburgring. The region attracts many tourists, especially from the nearby Ruhr area, who come for hiking, cycling, and relaxation in nature. Its proximity to Belgium and major cities like Cologne make it both a peaceful and well-connected region.

The Western Regional Congress 2026 will focus on the “Adventure and Heritage” that the Eifel region has to offer. With a divers program covering many aspects of the area, participants will have the chance to learn, explore, and experience the very best of the Eifel within just a few days. There will be something for everyone to enjoy.

Together with our partners, we the WRC26 Orga Team, can´t wait to welcome our fellow Egeans to the historic and fascinating Eifel region in Germany!

Participant fee: 144€

Available spots: 137

Follow us on Instagram

Stay up to date by following us on Instagram! If you have questions don’t hesitate to send us a dm.

Instagram

registration period participants

The registration period will open on Friday, 07.11. and close on Sunday, 14.12.2025

Open call for Workshops & Trainings

The following Workshop and Training topics are meant to inspire you. Feel free to include them in your own concepts or develop new ideas connected to our congress theme „Adventure and Heritage – The Eifel’s unique tourism appeal“We’re open to creative approaches that explore the Eifel’s landscape, culture, and future of tourism!

Workshops: 1. The vulcanic heart of the Eifel2. Rethinking tourism in the Eifel3. Wild wonders: Biodiversity in the Nationalpark Eifel4. Cultural landscapes of the Eifel: preserving heritage in a modern world5. Geography and didactics: educational science6. The taste of tradition: cider workshop7. Mapping the adventure: exploring the Eifel via GIS

Trainings: 1. Adventure tourism in the digital age2. First aid for adventurers3. Social skills (ex.: motivation, organisation, how to nap, stressmanagement,…)4. Calisthenics5. Yoga & Pilates in the wild6. Trailrunning7. Survival training

Send your applications to wrc2026@egea.eu

Registration period: 31.10 – 04.12

Program

Location

The congress will take place in Gemünd (Schleiden), a small village with around 3,800 residents. The venue offers 137 beds, a dining hall, an indoor fireplace lounge for relaxing, a gymnasium for celebrations, a barbecue area, a football pitch, a spacious outdoor area, and parking for guests. The path up to our congress hall is quite steep, so be prepared!

During the excursions, we will leave the venue to explore the surrounding nature or use public transportation to visit and walk around Cologne or Bonn.

Auszeit EifelAuf der Batterie 953937 SchleidenGermany

Accomodation

Transportation

Take the RE22/RE24 train from Köln Hbf. towards Kall and get off at the final stop: Kall. From there, transfer to the bus at the stop called Kall Busbf/Trierer Str. The bus SB81/SB82 towards Hellenthal Busbf. will bring you to your final stop Schleiden Gemünd Mitte. From there it’s just a refreshing 20-minute walk up to the event venue.

Cologne is easily accessible by car, train, and plane. There are several airports nearby, including Cologne/Bonn Airport and Düsseldorf Airport.

We Encourage you to travel as eco-friendly as possible. There will be an opportunity to connect and arrange car-sharing with other participants.

Please make sure to not arrive before 2 p.m.! You will not be able to enter the building before!

EGEA support Fund

The EGEA Support Fund is a fund, for which Egeans can apply, to make their attendance at administrative or scientific EGEA events financially easier. The money is collected through voluntary donations.You can apply for the Support Fund or you can contact supportfund@egea.eu.

Click here for more inforamtions.

About Us

We are a team of 18 dedicated Egeans and supported by countless helping hands. The main organisers are Marielle and Luca S., while the rest of the team includes Arne, India, Jule, Karo, Lea, Max, Sven, Tommy, Ruth, Michelle, Luca H., Till, Steve, Tim, Julius, and Sina.

Our event is completely non-profit. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at: wrc2026@egea.eu

Geoquiz vol. 51 by EGEA Zagreb
2026-03-17 20:00 - 22:30 (Europe/Prague)
51st edition of Zagreb EGEAns having fun at a geography quiz, learning something new and find out about our upcoming activities too 🙂

Reexchange EGEA Timisoara-Egea Iasi
2026-03-19 23:00 - 2026-03-22 09:00 (Europe/Bucharest) | Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
The Reexchange organized by EGEA Timișoara in collaboration with EGEA Iași is a dynamic and enriching event that brings together geography students from different regions to explore, learn, and connect. This unique experience combines academic activities, cultural exchange, and social interaction, offering participants the opportunity to discover new perspectives on geography while building lasting friendships.

EGEA Zagreb welcomes EGEA Berlin
2026-03-21 08:00 - 2026-03-25 17:00 (Europe/Prague)
We are excited to host a newbie re-exchange with our friends from Berlin 😉

Egea Ljubljana welcomes Egea Wrocław
2026-03-26 08:00 - 2026-03-30 17:00 (Europe/Prague)
A sizeable exchange with Egea Wrocław is soon going to be under way and our members are very keen on organising it. Perhaps a visit to Planica as the ski jumping finals are taking place? See you soon!

Egea Bergen welcomes Egea Turku
2026-03-26 17:00 - 2026-03-29 17:00 (Europe/Prague)
Egea Bergen warmly welcomes Egea Turku for the re-exchange to beautiful Norway!

You & Me with the BoE Meeting
2026-03-26 20:30 - 21:00 (Europe/Prague)
Every two weeks after our regular BoE meetings, you have the opportunity to join us for You & Me with the BoE meeting. It’s a space to talk together, ask questions, and share exciting news or even something that’s been on your mind.

We hope to see you there!

Klemen, Seline, Hannes, Olivia, Job and Heli

EGEA Greifswald welcomes EGEA Toruń
2026-03-26 21:30 - 2026-03-29 14:00 (Europe/Prague)
EGEA Greifswald welcomes EGEA Toruń in beautiful Greifswald close to the Baltic Sea during the beautiful North German spring. Sightseeing of two hanseatic towns and the largest German islands is waiting for them 🙂

Re-Exchange Würzburg - CLuj-napoca
2026-03-27 00:00 - 2026-03-30 23:59 (Europe/Prague)

Spring Hike
2026-03-29 10:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Prague)
It is again time for a beautiful hike on a beautiful place in Belgium! This time we go visit the Kalmthoutse Heide in the far north of the country.

Do you want to join? Just sent a message to the EGEA Ghent insta or contact the EGEA Ghent board on Whatsapp!

EGEA Praha welcomes EGEA Oulu
2026-03-31 00:00 - 2026-04-04 23:59 (Europe/Prague)
EGEA Praha is excited to welcome EGEA Oulu for the second part of our exchange!🧡

Reality Check 2.0: a journey through Ukraine
2026-04-07 09:00 - 2026-04-11 16:00 (Europe/Kyiv)
We’re happy to announce an event that is close to our hearts. Reality Check 2.0: A Journey Through Ukraine is coming in 2026! We invite you to experience Ukraine through its everyday rhythm — a life shaped by challenges, yet filled with bright moments of hope, resilience and light.

About the Event

Reality check is a special event that shows everyday life in Ukraine during wartime. The journey is filled with a lot of contrasts, which creates an unforgettable experience for the participants.During this event, you will:

Face constant challenges of civilian Ukrainians and Ukrainian cities and discover ways of adaptation to this reality.

Take part in volunteering activities and learn about culture of volunteerism, shaped in 2014 and 2022.

Take part in city tours, of course. The event will take place in Lviv and Kyiv. Also, the program includes a guided visit to the city of Bucha, offering a deeper insight into the realities of occupation and the resilience of local communities. Together we will witness the consequences of russian aggression.

Program

ACCommodation

Price

We are looking forward to meeting you 🙂 Click on button below to register for this event.

Registration

How to get to us?

Plane: Oops, unfortunately you can’t travel to any of Ukrainian cities directly by plane 🙁

Bus: You may use FlixBus or KLR bus for that.

Train: If you want travel by train use Ukrzaliznytsia website or dowload their app.

Trasfer from Lviv to Kyiv is provided by event organizers.

Stay tuned with us! Follow our Instagram pages:

ESU

Egea Lviv

Egea Ternopil

Egea Kyiv

EGEA Praha welcomes EGEA Helsinki
2026-04-08 00:00 - 2026-04-12 23:59 (Europe/Prague)
EGEA Praha is excited to welcome EGEA Helsinki for the second part of our exchange!🧡

EGEA Warsaw welcomes EGEA Marburg
2026-04-09 16:00 - 2026-04-12 16:00 (Europe/Prague)
EGEA Warsaw is excited to welcome EGEA Marburg for the second part of our exchange. We’re looking forward to show our German friends our beautiful city of Warsaw!

EGEA Ghent Welcomes EGEA Nijmegen
2026-04-10 08:00 - 2026-04-12 17:00 (Europe/Prague)
This is the first part of the Ghent-Nijmegen exchange

EGEA Kraków welcomes EGEA Turku
2026-04-10 08:00 - 2026-04-14 17:00 (Europe/Prague)

Egea Kyiv welcomes Egea vilnius
2026-04-12 08:00 - 2026-04-15 17:00 (Europe/Prague)
EGEA Kyiv can’t wait to create unforgettable memories with EGEA Vilnius in Kyiv

EGEA Valencia & EGEA Alicante go hiking
2026-04-12 10:00 - 19:00 (Europe/Prague) | EGEA Valencia
We are excited to explore the Via Verde Alcoy and discover its history together

NORTH&BALTIC REGIONAL CONGRESS 2026 - Master of Disaster
2026-04-13 00:00 - 2026-04-17 23:30 (Europe/Prague)
Ready to face every challenge?

Poland is waiting for you! Entities from Warsaw, Torun, Olsztyn and Cracow will help you create the best memories. Will you join us?You can decide until the 25th of January 2026.

Register for the Congress!

or check out our insta

Congress in numbers

Some basic (and most important) info for you <3

Egeans on board120

Participant’s fee144,04€

5 days of activities13 – 17 th of April 2026

Programme

workshops

Resilience as a Guiding Principle: How Regional Planning Becomes a Master of DisasterhopsThe Ice Age Blueprint: Decoding glacial landscapesControl + GIS. Disaster-prone areas monitoringBorders that Unite: Coordinated Action in Times of Crisis

Resilience as a Guiding Principle: How Regional Planning Becomes a Master of Disaster

Hollis Peter

Cities and regions are increasingly confronted with multiple, overlapping crises. In response, resilience is gaining importance as a guiding principle in regional planning. This workshop introduces and critically discusses the concept of resilience in relation to established principles such as sustainability. Building on this, participants will collaboratively analyse regional case studies, compare different resilience approaches, and identify best-practice examples.

The Ice Age Blueprint: Decoding glacial landscapes

Igor Dmowski & Jacek Okoński

The workshop will explore glacial terrain structures in Northern Poland, focusing on their identification using GIS mapping tools and a field excursion. Participants will utilize geological and geomorphological maps, aerial photos and fieldwork observations to identify these landforms and create a poster-style map of the Congress area displaying the identified features.

Control + GIS. Disaster-prone areas monitoring

Eva Adelberger & Joris Heine

This workshop addresses the monitoring of disaster-prone areas in Poland using GIS, with a focus on natural disasters such as floods, droughts, wildfires and heatwaves. Through hands-on activities with ArcGIS Pro participants will gain practical skills in disaster mapping and visualization, culminating in the creation of informative maps or posters highlighting climate risks in both natural and urban landscapes.

Borders that Unite: Coordinated Action in Times of Crisis

Amelia Tunikowska

The workshop will introduce the fundamentals of international law, with a particular focus on EU law related to cross-border cooperation and joint emergency-response mechanisms. It will explore how governments react and cooperate during crises such as floods or hurricanes, how countries can effectively support one another in emergency situations. Develop practical skills in professional discussion and debate, rapid decision-making under pressure, and clear, effective communication.

Applause for the workshop leaders!!We hope you’ll enjoy the workshops! Don’t forget to choose YOUR workshop in the form from Infopack – stay tuned with mails!

trainings

Donat Zausnigg

Conflictbusters: turning tension into teamwork

This training session will focus on ways to resolve conflicts and interpersonal challenges that you may face in a professional, organisational, or academic environment every day. Also, it will teach about the importance of dialogue and feedback in resolving workplace conflicts.

Olivia Deman

Big or small, size doesn’t matter: the fundamentals of event organisation

My training would be focused on the fundamentals of event organising! In an interactive setting, participants can share their experiences and learn about the fundamentals such as task-management, logistics, how to work with sponsors, how to lead a team and so much more.

Patrycja Dąbrowska

Ambition Without Burnout: How to Build Projects and Still Take Care of Yourself

This training is about managing ambitious projects without burning out. We’ll look at the pressure to stay constantly productive and take on everything, and learn practical ways to stay effective without losing energy. Through exercises and real-life examples, you’ll learn how to manage your energy, set priorities and boundaries, handle team communication, and deal with perfectionism.

Register as Participant

Apply as WORKSHOP LEADER

APply as Training Leader

Every road leads to… Bęsia!

Ready for the adventure? We prepared a quick guide on how to commute to our lovely accommodation! We’d love to hear your incredible travel stories so be creative while planning. And remember – the greener, the better!

Adress: Bęsia 21, 11-311 Kolno

DCIM100MEDIADJI_0820.JPG

The odyssey in public transportThe only direct public transport link to Bęsia is via train from the regional transport hub of Olsztyn (you can use apps/websites like e-podróżnik or koleo).– Olsztyn is the major gateway for those traveling from the West and North. You can easily catch a direct train to Olsztyn from Gdansk, Torun, Poznan, and Wroclaw.– Górowo is the nearest train station from the accomodation. Is about 2,5 km from Bęsia, so you can easily take a 30 minutes long walk to the congress from this station.

How to get there? Road tripIf you plan to drive to our lovely accommodation, your initial goal will be to navigate toward the major cities of Olsztyn, Toruń, or Warsaw. Which one you aim for will simply depend on the direction you are traveling from!To make your journey even easier, once we finalize our list of all participants, we will happily share a carpooling spreadsheet with everyone. This way, you can connect with others and perhaps share a ride!

How to get there? flight editionWhile flying to major airports like Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, Poznań, or Wrocław is an option, we highly recommend taking a train or a bus to complete your journey to these bigger cities and then easily connect to Górowo. Please consider the impact of your travel on the environment.

Looking for some inspiration? Find our map on Instagram!

FAQ

How to apply for the support fund?
You can apply for EGEA Support Fund to make your attendance at EGEA events financially easier! The money for the Support Fund is collected through volunteers, just have that in your mind 😉 For more information you can contact supportfund@egea.eu or click the button below.

Learn more about the EGEA Support Fund

How to contact us?
We prefer to stay in touch via DMs on Instagram: nbrc2026 But you can also send us an email: nbrc2026@egea.eu

How to apply as workshop / training leader?
There are only few steps to share your knowledge with other EGEAns. Let’s go through them together!

Prepare your ideas and amaze the OrgaTeam!

Register to the event as any other participant.

Click on the right button and fill the form in.

Register as Participant

Apply as WORKSHOP LEADER

APply as Training Leader

or check out our insta

If you have any concerns or questions, don’t hesitate and contact OrgaTeam 😉 See you in Poland!

EGEA Hannover welcomes EGEA Ljubljana
2026-04-18 00:00 - 2026-04-23 23:59 (Europe/Prague)
After a fantastic first leg of our exchange, it’s Hannover’s turn to show whether they can keep up. 🙂

Marburg welcomes Cluj Napoca
2026-04-23 08:00 - 2026-04-26 17:00 (Europe/Prague)
EGEA Marburg welcomes our Romanian friends from Cluj Napoca in our lovely stundent city🏰. We are hyped💙💛❤️!

EMRC 2026 - PERIPHERY
2026-04-27 16:00 - 2026-05-01 12:00 (Europe/Riga) | Atpūtas komplekss “Brūveri”, Brūveri, Sigulda, LV-2150, Latvia
Organised by EGEA Tartu & EGEA Vilnius

We believe that in the periphery, people find community and strength from each other, different fields of science find ways to interlink and create breakthroughs, necessity brings innovation and local cultures thrive.

With this congress, we want to draw attention to an overlooked region and let its complex legacy and stories of foreign powers, diverse cultural influences and resilient identity in the face of persecution be heard. The periphery here is not some margin, but a place where overlooked stories can finally be heard.

75 participants

Location

In the center of Baltics, Latvia is ready to welcome EGEA again after some time away to bring the Baltic geography community back together.We welcome you in so called ‘Switzerland of the Vidzeme Region’ or – Sigulda. The accommodation is located in Gauja national park and has lovely cottages, a sports field, a big common house, and most importantly a sauna with a pond.75 people are welcome to join us in the countryside to participate in workshops, excursions and evening programme.Find out more about our accomodation BRŪVERI here.

How to reach the accommodation?

We suggest travelling first to Sigulda.

We encourage you to choose green travel options to help minimise our carbon footprint.

You can take the train to Sigulda:

🚅 directly from Riga (45 min to 1h 30 min)

🚅 from Tartu (3h), Tallinn (5h to 5h 30min) or Vilnius (5h 30min).

See Latvian train timetables hereSee trains from Estonia here (use your ISIC card for student discount)See trains from Lithuania here (use your ISIC card for student discount)

🚌From Riga, there are also direct buses to Sigulda (1h).

To reach Riga, we suggest looking into bus options with Flixbus or LuxExpress from Poland and the Baltics.

✈️ If you prefer to travel by plane, we recommend flying to Riga (or Tallinn or Vilnius if you would like to explore more of the Baltics).

From Sigulda, it is possible to take a regional bus part of the way towards the accommodation. Alternatively, if you enjoy being active, the accommodation is 4 km from Sigulda town centre and can also be reached on foot, partly via a hiking trail.

Programme

* The organisers might make changes to the programme if needed.

Evening programme

Fun evening entertainment is guaranteed every night.

Balkan x Baltic Night

On the first day, we’ll exchange our cultural treasures and get to know Latvia and how the Baltic and Balkan could be similar. To find our more or less Eastern European common ground, the dress code for this evening is tracksuits like in the 90`s!

Cultural Fair

On the second evening we’ll have the familiar Cultural Fair.

Wear the colours and mood of your homeland!

EGEA’s Got Talent and Auction

On Wednesday, something new awaits – EGEA’s GOT A TALENT! Every EGEA member, whether alone or with friends, can show a talent or share a great idea on stage. Everyone who takes part will get a prize. There’s no dress code, but you’re welcome to wear your favourite stage outfit. Also, feel free to bring something for the auction or just participate in bidding and buying for a better cause.

Pagan Themed Night

The final evening is Walpurgis Night and will be spent in a pagan spirit, dancing around the bonfire, learning folk dances and spell chants. Bring your most ragged peasant clothes, or come as a crusader knight or a witch!

workshopS

Digging Deeper: Soils as Archives of Human History

Led by Bartłomiej Zawadzki & Anastazja Wasilewska (EGEA Toruń)

This workshop is about the soil cover of Gauja National Park and how the historical exploitation influences the landscape. During this workshop you will learn basic information about soil properties and types and understand how anthropogenic influence can change them.

Reading the Landscape – A Geomorphological Journey in the Mediterranean (with Baltic Perspectives)

Led by Sarp Baran Kaplan (EGEA Izmir)

The main goal of this workshop is to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of how geomorphological processes shape our physical environment and to introduce them to the scientific methods used to decipher the history of Earth. The aim is to bridge the gap between pure Earth Sciences and Geoarchaeology, showing how ancient landscapes influenced human settlements in the Mediterranean-Aegean region, while also briefly touching upon the geomorphological dynamics of the Baltic geography.

Security & Borders in the Baltics: Life in the EU’s Eastern Periphery

Led by Olivia Deman (EGEA Leuven) & Michael Maier (EGEA Graz)

Recent years have brought significant shifts in worldwide geopolitics, and the Baltic region finds itself at a crucial juncture. To understand the current dynamics in the Baltic region, it is important to explore all the geopolitical processes shaping the region. By researching different roles, participants will try to step in the shoes of different actors from the media, civil society and governance. Afterwards, participants will exchange their perspectives by filming a fictional news segment, integrating all perspectives into a coherent video.

Baltic Identity and periphery: How geography shapes who we are?

Led by Pierre Berthou (EGEA Lyon) & Ewen Nowaczyk (EGEA Clermont-Ferrand)

This workshop aims to introduce participants to the geographical concepts of identity and periphery through the case study of the Baltic States.

Peripheral areas in your country – identification and solutions

Led by Julianna Bieńkowska & Wojciech Olsza (EGEA Kraków)

The main idea of the workshop is for its participants to identify peripheral or depopulated areas in their home countries and propose solutions that could improve the situation of these problematic regions. Most countries belonging to the East & Mediterranean Region have such regions, and we believe that each workshop participant will be able to name such an area in their country.

Trainings

Mind–Body Integration: Psychological Resilience Through Movement

Led by Anna Mykych (EGEA Kraków)

This workshop focuses on developing psychological resilience, self-awareness, and leadership presence through the integration of soft skills psychology and simple physical practices. Participants will explore how stress, attention, emotions, and inner stability are connected to the body.

Reflecting, Journaling, and Meditation – Finding Your Inner Peace

Led by Marielle Barwich & Max Wassum (EGEA Marburg)

This training focuses on mental health, journaling, and reconnecting with your inner voice. In our busy daily lives, it is often challenging to stay connected to ourselves and even harder to treat ourselves with kindness. Negative thoughts are usually much easier to follow than positive ones, and that is precisely why this training is so necessary.

Brain battle: Chess for beginners

Led by Björn Kirchner & Teresa Conze (EGEA Marburg)

Chess Workshop for beginners.

Excursions

Sigulda hike along Gauja valley

Walking tour in Sigulda

Walking tour of Cēsis

Walking tour of Līgatne with cliffs and unique architecture (easy)

Located in the heart of Gauja National Park, Līgatne stands out in Latvia not as a medieval town, but as a purpose-built industrial settlement. It developed in the 19th century around its paper mill, which became one of the most important paper producers in the region. Unlike many historic towns that grew organically over centuries, Līgatne was shaped by industry. Its wooden workers’ houses, arranged in rows along the valley slopes, reflect a planned community where housing, work, and daily life were closely connected. During the excursion, we will visit the historic paper mill to learn how paper was produced and how industrialisation influenced both the economy and social structure of the area. The town’s sandstone cave basements, carved directly into the cliffs, were used by residents for food storage and remain a visible reminder of practical adaptation to the local environment. In addition to its 19th-century heritage, Līgatne also has a lesser-known 20th-century layer of history, including Cold War–era infrastructure hidden beneath the landscape. The excursion will also include a stop by the Amata River and the scenic Zvārtes iezis, where the river’s rapids flow beneath one of Latvia’s most striking sandstone formations.

Scenic Sigulda hike along Gauja Valley (easy to medium)

Sigulda is often referred to as one of Latvia’s most scenic towns, situated in the valley of the Gauja River within Gauja National Park. The Gauja Valley is known for its sandstone outcrops, forested slopes, and panoramic viewpoints overlooking the river. This excursion offers two hiking options of different difficulty levels, allowing participants to choose according to their preference. Both routes lead through the Gauja River valley, passing some of the most impressive viewpoints in the area. Along the way, we will explore the natural relief of the valley, descend and ascend its characteristic slopes. The hike concludes at Turaida Castle, a medieval stone castle complex overlooking the valley. Here, participants will have the opportunity to explore the castle grounds and learn about its historical role in the region. This excursion is ideal for those interested in combining physical activity with landscape appreciation and historical context.

Walking tour of medieval town Cēsis (easy)

Cēsis is one of the oldest towns in Latvia, with origins dating back to the 13th century. It became an important medieval center during the Livonian Order period and retains a clearly recognizable old town layout. The narrow streets, market square, and historic buildings reflect centuries of urban development and make Cēsis one of the most atmospheric historic towns in the country. A central highlight of the excursion is the visit to Cēsis Castle, widely regarded as one of the best-preserved medieval castle ruins in the Baltic region. Visitors can explore the remaining towers and walls, gaining insight into medieval defensive architecture and the political importance of the site. The excursion also includes a visit to Ērgļu klintis (Eagle Cliffs), one of the longest sandstone cliff faces in Latvia. These cliffs rise along the Gauja River and provide an impressive example of the region’s geological formations. The combination of urban medieval heritage and nearby natural landmarks makes Cēsis a balanced choice for those interested in both history and landscape.

Hike along the Vidzeme Seaside (medium)

The Vidzeme coast in northern Latvia offers a diverse view of the country’s coastline. Unlike the long sandy beaches often associated with Latvia’s western coast, this region has sandy strips, rocky beaches, coastal meadows, and sandstone outcrops. The landscape along the route changes significantly, illustrating the diversity of Latvia’s coastal nature. During the excursion, we will see sandy beaches formed by waves and wind, rocky shores created by glacial activity, and open coastal meadows where unique plant and bird species can be found. The diversity of the terrain makes this area particularly suitable for those interested in coastal geography and nature. The highlight of the cultural excursion is a visit to the Ainaži Maritime School Museum in the border town of Ainaži. The former maritime school played an important role in the development of Latvian maritime traditions in the 19th century. The museum provides an insight into Latvia’s maritime heritage and the education of sailors and ship captains. This excursion combines nature exploration with an understanding of the history of Latvia’s coast and sea.

Why us?

Our team is committed and experienced in organising events. We organised the North & Baltic Congress in 2023 and 2024. For the past 12 years, we have continued the Baltic Weekend tradition, organising it on a rotating basis between Lithuania and Estonia each year. In 2024, the event took place in Latvia again. We therefore have the experience needed to organise a fun East & Mediterranean Congress in Latvia.

If you have any questions/ideas, please do not hesitate to contact us at: emrc2026@egea.eu

Meet the orgateam

Orga team of EMRC 2026Main orgaScience teamMedia teamProgramme teamHelping handsParticipant team + photographerGreen team + helping hands

Main orga: Jonas, Laura Heleene, Regina

Excursion coordinator: Edvards

Finance and fundraising: Regina, Artūrs

Green coordinator: Annabel

Science coordinator: Adomas, Martyna

Media, design & merch: Liis-Ellen, Mia Marie

Participant coordinator: Agnes, Livija

Day and night programme: Lauri, Lilija

Helping hands: Heli, Triinu, Hendrik, Mattias, Mikas, Gintarė and Helena

Instagram

Post Industrial Weekend
2026-05-07 15:00 - 2026-05-10 12:00 (Europe/Prague)
We are inviting you to come to the Ruhr Area for the first ever Post Industrial Weekend!

The Ruhr Area was historically dominated by mines and factories, but today many of those sites have closed or been transformed into museums, parks, offices, universities, and cultural venues. Industry hasn’t disappeared completely — it’s simply no longer the main driver of the region’s identity or economy.

Together, we want to explore how this history has shaped the region’s structures today, what has grown from it, and what lies ahead. It may not be perfect, but it’s real.

RUHR AREA

The Ruhr Area was once the industrial powerhouse of Germany, shaped by coal mining, steel production, and heavy industry. Today, in its post-industrial era, it has transformed into a region known for culture, technology, green spaces, and creative industries — blending its industrial heritage with modern innovation.

Accomodation

We’ll be staying at Burg Husen in Dortmund, right next to the Ruhr River — the river that gave the Ruhr Area its name. The castle is a charming venue that feels more pre- than post-industrial, yet it’s located in the heart of the Ruhr Valley, a region that has long been — and remains — a central hub of industrial activity.

It offers plenty of space, a large kitchen, and a beautiful vaulted cellar (“Gewölbekeller”) for our activities. There are 24 beds available (4 dorm rooms with 6 beds each), as well as space on the campsite. When you register, please let us know whether you would be happy to camp or if you would prefer to attend only if a bed is available. This will help us plan accommodation as smoothly as possible. 🙂

How to get to Burg Husen

Public transport:Burg Husen is located in Dortmund-Syburg and can be reached by train and bus. Take a regional train or S-Bahn to Dortmund, then continue by local bus toward Syburg. The nearest stop is Dortmund Syburg, from which it’s about 15-20 minutes on foot to the castle.

Car:If you’re arriving by car, enter Burg Husen, Syburger Dorfstraße 135, 44265 Dortmund into your navigation system. Parking is available on site.

Cycling:Burg Husen is easily accessible by bike via local cycling routes along the Ruhr River. There is bike parking available at the venue, making it a scenic and eco-friendly way to reach the castle.

Program

We want to create the best possible program to show you what the Ruhr Area has to offer while also providing learning opportunities. The event focuses on the future challenges of post-industrial regions — particularly structural change, urban development, and urban ecology.

These topics will be explored through expert lectures, workshops, and excursions. We aim to complement some of the contents by innovative formats such as virtual reality and gamification. Alongside the professional content, international exchange and networking are at the heart of the program. EGEA!

This preliminary program gives you a glimpse of what’s coming! It’s still under development and will be updated now and then 🙂

*Program subject to change.

Registration

Registrations are open until 20.03. The price includes accommodation, meals, and the official program. Please note that we do not provide camping equipment, if you plan to camp, bring your own gear or contact us to see if arrangements can be made.

Register here!

EGEA Hannover welcomes EGEA Marburg
2026-05-08 00:00 - 2026-05-10 23:59 (Europe/Prague)
As our original Re-exchange event had to be cancelled at short notice due to a snowstorm, we are delighted to be able to show our friends from EGEA Marburg blooming Hanover in spring for the first time.

EGEA Bonn Welcomes EGEA Nijmegen
2026-05-15 08:00 - 2026-05-17 17:00 (Europe/Prague)
From the 15th of May to the 17th of May EGEA Bonn will be hosting members from EGEA Nijmegen. We look forward to seeing the Nijmegen EGEANs again and hope they will enjoy getting to know the city of Bonn!

SUMMER OSM IN HANNOVER
2026-06-04 13:00 - 2026-06-07 12:00 (Europe/Prague) | Hannover, Schneiderberg 50, Hannover, Germany
Dear EGEAns,

from the 4th to the 7th of June, the Summer Organisation and Strategy Meeting (SOSM) will take place in Hannover. During the Event we will have several sessions on relevant topics in EGEA. If you have a topic in mind that should be discussed you are welcome to suggest a topic. The event will include interesting discussions about the future of EGEA as well as fun and relaxed evening activities such as BBQ in one of our beautiful parks next to the geography department building.

What is the OSM?It is a biannual meeting for all official bodies in EGEA. All Team representatives, Regional Teams, Supporting Roles, Project representatives, Congress Organisers, Board and Advisory Board meet there to discuss the future of EGEA in order to come up with a common strategy and ways of accomplishing it. Everyone can register to participate in the OSM, suggest topics and apply for the Support Fund (within the registration period).

Minutes of the last yearYou can suggest topics for the different sessions which will be held during the SOSM. For ideas and more information you can check the Minutes from last WOSM and SOSM

Sign up & Suggest a topic

Sign up for the support fund

Registration is open till the 20th of april
