9. - 10 September: FONA Forum - 6th BMBF Forum for Sustainability

The 6th BMBF Forum for Sustainability (FONA Forum) will take place in Hamburg on 9 and 10 September 2009. FONA, which stands for "Forschung für Nachhaltigkeit" ("Research for Sustainability"), is a framework programme of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). On the occasion of the opening of the FONA Forum, the Green Talents will be received by Professor Frieder Meyer-Krahmer, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, who will honour them for their efforts to develop creative and innovative solutions in the field of sustainability. In the afternoon, some of the Green Talents will have an opportunity to present their research approaches at the thematic sessions.

With its "Research for Sustainability" framework programme, the BMBF has supported innovative measures and projects for five years now. In this way, it is pooling application-oriented research in this field. The area of sustainability research has been international in outlook from the very beginning because it requires a global perspective and international activities and solutions. Education and research are seen as central elements of international cooperation. They make a significant contribution to building up problem-solving skills and professional competences.

Experts from politics, science and industry are expected to take part in the FONA Forum. The aims of the conference are to present best practice examples, investigate new solutions, and promote networking in the research community. At the same time, the 6th FONA Forum is the kick-off event for the BMBF's new framework programme on sustainability research: After five successful years of sustainability research, new thematic priorities will be defined, international cooperation will be strengthened, and efforts will be made to create closer links between basic and applied research.