BESTLIFE2030 Macaronesia Regional Hub is set to launch its Second Call for Proposals in early spring 2025. This initiative, aimed at fostering sustainable development in the region, invites public, private, and civil society entities to submit innovative projects addressing pressing environmental and social challenges.

Priority Areas for the Second Call:

• Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Projects focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building resilience to climate change impacts.
• Circular and Low-Carbon Economies: Initiatives promoting sustainable resource management and reducing carbon footprints.
• Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Restoration: Efforts to protect and restore ecosystems and their biodiversity.
• Social Innovation for Resilient Communities: Projects fostering community-led solutions to social and environmental problems.

Building on the Success of the First Call:

The first call, which awarded €5.52 million in grants, supported projects in Macaronesia and other regions to address critical biodiversity challenges. In Macaronesia, €697,000 was allocated to projects focused on species conservation, habitat restoration, and public awareness campaigns.

How to Participate:

To be eligible, projects must demonstrate:

• Sustainability and Scalability: Long-term impact and potential for replication.
• Tangible Conservation Results: Measurable benefits for biodiversity and ecosystems.
• Complementarity: Building on existing initiatives or addressing gaps in current efforts.
• Collaboration: Partnerships between diverse stakeholders.

For more information and to access resources, visit https://bestlife2030.org/

On October 29, 2024, the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) brought together over 25 participants from academia, government, and the private sector for a dynamic workshop on diversity and gender equality. This event highlighted a collaborative effort between two transformative EU-funded projects—ATHENA and EXPER—working to advance gender equality and institutional change across Europe’s research landscape.

A Platform for Inclusive Dialogue

The event, featured impactful contributions that underscored ULPGC’s leadership in fostering a more inclusive environment. Carmen Delia Díaz Bolaños, Director of the ULPGC Equality Unit, set the tone with an inspiring welcome, followed by remarks from Sebastián López, Vice-Rector of Research and Knowledge Transfer, on the EXPER project’s mission to support institutional transformation for ULPGC and the University of the Azores through international collaboration with the universities of Rostock and Calabria.

The ATHENA project’s emphasis on structural change in research institutions was spotlighted by Michelle Perello, CEO of Consulta Europa Projects & Innovation, who spoke on the synergies between ATHENA and EXPER in promoting gender equality through Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) and international cooperation. Rosalía Estupiñán Cáceres, ATHENA’s principal investigator at ULPGC, shared initial outcomes from ULPGC’s GEP, followed by ULPGC Rector Lluís Serra-Majem’s reflections on the tangible impact of these projects.

Event Highlights and Key Outputs

Key presentations addressed strategic steps toward inclusive policies, with a compelling segment by Arturo Montesdeoca Suárez, Doctor of Labour Law, on the ULPGC Protocol Against Harassment and Violence Toward LGTBI Individuals. A roundtable moderated by gender equality expert Yaiza Gómez Yánez saw prominent voices—such as María Delgado from the Young Entrepreneurs Association and Paula Falcón García from the ULPGC Student Council—discuss innovative strategies to foster equality within educational and professional settings. These exchanges aimed to refine ULPGC’s Diversity Strategy under the EXPER project and strengthen ULPGC’s GEP through ATHENA’s guidance.

A Collaborative Vision for Lasting Change

Together, ATHENA and EXPER underscore the critical role of gender equality and diversity in institutional growth, creating pathways for ULPGC and the University of the Azores to become models for change in ultraperipheral regions. This workshop reaffirmed ULPGC’s commitment to enhancing inclusivity and provided a collaborative space to inform future initiatives that will benefit not only the university but the broader community.