The UNESCO Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, together with the BRI, organised the international symposium "Catalyzing Biodiversity Conservation and Social Transformation – Evidence from UNESCO Biosphere Reserves", in Venice. Prof. Erik Aschenbrand acted as co-organiser of the event and is one of the editors of the forthcoming book. Authors from 16 countries presented their work, including Prof. Benjamin Nölting (HNEE), Dr. Ana Filipa Ferreira (BRI) and Saleem Haddad (TU Berlin, BIOM alumni).