CELEBRATING THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF RANGELANDS AND PASTORALISTS 2026 MADRID INTERNATIONAL MEETING
The Celebration of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists - International Meeting in Madrid, will be a reference forum gathering researchers, livestock farmers, shepherds, technicians, environmental organizations, public administrations and community leaders, committed to the sustainable management of livestock farming and rangelands.
2026 has been chosen by the United Nations to place the importance of rangelands and pastoralism on the global agenda, and it will also be the year when the declaration of transhumance as an Asset of Cultural Interest in the Community of Madrid will be formalized, a milestone of special relevance for the preservation of this living heritage. Therefore, this region wanted to become the first stop of the multiple initiatives that will be held throughout the year, with pastoralism as the protagonist.
The meeting will address the main challenges and opportunities linked to the activity, highlighting the role of pastoralism and transhumance as key practices for land conservation, biodiversity, cultural heritage and sustainable development of rural communities.
YOUTH AND INNOVATION
The Madrid forum will place special emphasis on youth and the role of new technologies as key elements to guarantee generational renewal and the survival of extensive livestock farming. Youth and innovation will therefore be the main protagonists of the various activities of the meeting, aimed at highlighting the cultural, environmental and socioeconomic importance of pastoralism.
TRANSHUMANCE AS ASSET OF CULTURAL INTEREST
Transhumance plays an essential role in shaping the landscape, biodiversity and rural culture of the Community of Madrid, leaving a deep mark on the development of the territory and regional communications.
The Community of Madrid, as a peninsular geographical center, occupies a strategic place in this system, with four “Cañadas Reales” (royal transhumance paths wide 75 m) and a dense network of livestock trails totaling 4,104 kilometers in length and more than 13,000 hectares, representing 1.6% of the regional territory. The recognition of transhumance as an Asset of Cultural Interest in 2026 reinforces the preservation of this living heritage and its future projection, in coherence with the United Nations International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.
The Celebration of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists - International Meeting in Madrid invites to reflect and work together for the future of rangelands and pastoral communities and to discover and highlight each and every one of the challenges they face. It is essential to debate how to overcome the challenges and problems of shepherds and livestock farmers, as well as seek resources and deepen real and innovative solutions for this practice, which is transcendental in the field of environmental management and food security.
THE LANDSCAPE
The Celebration of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists – International Meeting in Madrid sets in motion a symbolic journey across the land and along the ancient routes of transhumance, honoring pastoral life, the ecosystems it sustains, and the deep, enduring bond between people, animals, and territory.
THE SPIRIT
The Celebration of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists - International Meeting in Madrid promotes respect for the land as a source of life, and for the pastoral communities that inhabit and manage it. It also inspires the spirit of collaboration among public administrations, companies, entrepreneurs, livestock farmers and shepherds, to become a high-level platform for dialogue, technical exchange and policy development, reinforcing global cooperation, always seeking the viability of pastoralism in the long term.
THE VISION
The Celebration of the International Year of
Rangelands and Pastoralists – International Meeting in Madrid is envisioned
as both a practical platform and a space for dialogue, designed to amplify
the call to protect pastoralism and safeguard transhumance. It seeks to
highlight the environmental and social value of pastoral systems, advance
realistic proposals to facilitate access for new generations, adapt
regulatory and administrative frameworks to the realities of herders, and
foster investment in innovation, research, education, and knowledge
exchange.
The International Meeting in Madrid is positioned as a leading forum for the
international exchange of forward-looking experiences. It will showcase
initiatives that are reshaping pastoral systems, encouraging the
dissemination of best practices and scalable solutions adaptable to diverse
territorial contexts.
