The programme of the conference was prepared prior to the event based on the conference aims and objectives. During the preparatory phase, the organizers focused their activity to identify the key regional stakeholders to involve in the conference discussions and also to provide input to the conference programme content. Among the speakers at the conference, represented were not just the policy makers but also the representatives of research, industry, primary producers, and NGOs. The moderators of the parallel sessions were identified based on their professional experience and knowledge of the particular spheres discussed in the sessions. In addition to being distributed at the conference along with the promotional materials, the programme was made available online at the conference website and social media before the date of the conference and it was continuously updated to reflect the development of the conference agenda.
In accordance with the project and the general outline of the conference, stakeholders and representatives of the public from European regions were invited to register for the conference. The capacity of the conference, based on and limited by the capacity of the conference venue, was 250 participants. More than 300 of prospective attendees from 29 countries registered for the conference, reflecting the current interest in the topic. At the conference, 232 participants from 24 countries were present to discuss the topic of bioeconomy.
A comprehensive communication and dissemination was followed by the coordinator to ensure the impact of the conference and the post-conference activities. The project involved three levels of dissemination: dissemination for awareness, dissemination for understanding, and dissemination for action. The aim of dissemination for awareness was to target the audiences that did not require the detailed knowledge but for who it would be beneficial to be aware of our activities and outcomes. Dissemination for understanding addressed the broader community and the wider public that could be interested in the conference and its conclusions. We aimed to inform and stimulate the interest in bioeconomy, its importance and sustainable economy. Dissemination for action aimed to address the broader community, EU, stakeholders from different sectors relevant to bioeconomy (agriculture, fisheries, forestry, industry, energy, etc.), the entire vertical chain. Its objective was to inform and stimulate interest on the conference conclusions, achievements and recommendations.
