Bratislava, September 18, 2023 – Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic Mr. Jozef Bíreš will host the 9th European Annual Conference “Peace and Agriculture” in Modra on September 21, 2023 (Thursday). Conference is organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic in cooperation with the Association “PeaceBread” based in Berlin. The 12 member states of the “PeaceBread” Initiative, as well as the invited representatives of Ukraine and Finland, will recall the main message of the Project, which is the preservation and protection of peace in Europe and globally and to emphasize the close links and existing synergies between peace protection and ensuring the sustainable agriculture.

The Event has two levels: Social Partners Session with representatives of civil society organizations and Ministerial Conference with the participation of Ministers, State Secretaries, and other representatives of the 14 participating states. The main topic of the meeting on which individual interventions will address is “Promoting Young Farmers engagement in development of research and use of the new technologies in Agriculture”. Young people are key to promoting sustainable food systems, ensuring renewal in the agricultural sector, and contributing to the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security.

Young farmers are the backbone of the technological and innovative evolution in agriculture. The conference therefore aims to highlight the role of young people in securing sustainable agriculture for future generations.

Blessing of the “Peace Bread” by representatives of the Roman Catholic Church at the “Gate of Freedom” Memorial near Devin Castle will be symbolic gesture of building and developing understanding between the nations, which is of utmost importance in the context of the current war in Ukraine.