A total of five conferences that will be scheduled throughout this year constitute this initiative’s programme. It intends to be a learning and debate forum on current issues which determine the planet’s sustainability and life in times of a climate, health and social crisis.

The first part of the cycle is dedicated to encourage the critical thought and reflection on ecology and natural environment, highlighting the link between economy and environment, as well as the impacts of the coronavirus crisis on the natural environment. The person in charge of opening the cycle will be Vicent Cucarella, Síndic Major de Comptes (external economic and budgetary control of financial activity) of the Government of the Valencian Community), who will speak about “Sustainable growth? Ask it to Groucho Marx”. Cucarella’s conference will take place on 11^th November. In the meantime, the professor of the department of Geography, Lluís del Romero, will give a speech on “Coronavirus pandemic and the rural environment: new demographic crisis or historic opportunity?”, on 13^th January.

The second part of the cycle will focus on the problems, conflicts and challenges which the district of La Safor and its surrounding areas are currently facing. The first conference of the second part will be hold 3th March and Víctor Navarro, from Acción Ecologista Agró (a non-profit, environmentalist association) will be in charge. He will speak about “La Marjal Pego-Oliva: history, current situation and forthcoming challenges”. The next date will be on 14^th April and in it, the main topics will be the challenges and risks of the modernization of irrigation. In this case, Carles Sanchís, from the department of Geography (Universitat de València), will discuss this topic. Lastly, the conference that will clousure the cycle will be “The sea is life. Fishing and social-environmental sustainability of the Mediterranean coast” by the hand of Paloma Herrera, from the department of Economy and Social Sciences (Higher Polytechnic School of Gandia), on the 5^th May.

Carme Melo, director from the International Centre of Gandia (Universitat de València), will be responsible for the forum’s coordination. The registration will be free and, in the following days, the registration period to attend the conference of the 11^th November will be opened. All the presentations will be carried out at 7:00 p.m. in the International Centre of Gandia, and these will also be broadcast online.