About the Conference – International Society of Forest Therapy

International Congress ISFT “Forest and its potential for health” is a prestigious scientific event initiated by the International Society of Forest Therapy and each year takes place in a different country. This year we are glad to invite you to come to the VI gathering in Lithuania. We are honored to introduce you with the 6th Congress presidium and members of the scientific, organizational and advisory committees.

Scientific committee

Viicfph Speaker Alex Gesse — **Alex Gesse** Executive director, trainer and mentor at Forest Therapy Hub, board member of International Society of Forest therapy, Co-Chair of the committee

Viicfph Scientific Committee Horst Klinkmann — **Prof. Dr. Horst Klinkmann** Co-Founder of BioCon Valley and founding president of International Society of Forest Therapy

Viicfph Speaker Won Sop Shin — **Dr. Won Sop Shin** Korea, professor at Chungbuk National University in Korea and holding Chair of Korea Forest Therapy Forum

Viicfph Scientific Committee Manfred Baum — **Manfred Baum** Acting president of International Society of Forest Therapy

Viicfph Speaker Liisa Tyrvainen — **Prof. Liisa Tyrvainen** Research Professor, Natural Resources Institute Finland

Dizainas Be Pavadinimo 56 — **Prof. Simon Bell** Estonian University of Life Sciences | EMU · Department of Landscape Architecture, PhD

Viicfph Scientific Committee Raimondas Kubilius — **Prof. Raimondas Kubilius** Cardiologist, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences

Viicfph Speaker Katarzyna Simonienko 1 — **Dr. Katarzyna Simonenko** MD, PhD Psychiatrist, a medical practitioner and a scientific researcher, PhD in psychiatry. Director of forest therapy, center in Poland, Bialystok

Gintare Janicke Off — **Dr. Gintarė Tamašauskaitė-Janickė** Expert in interdisciplinary law, Fellow Researcher at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences

Viicfph Scientific Committee Lolita Rapoliene — **Doc. dr. Lolita Rapolienė** Faculty of Health Sciences, Klaipėda University

Viicfph Scientific Committee Vitalija Povilaityte Petri — **Dr. Vitalija Povilaitytė-Petri** Pharmacist, transdisciplinary research of medicinal and food plants at University of Mons, Belgium

Viicfph Scientific Committee Stanislovas Cepinskas — **Dr. Stanislovas Čepinskas** Landscape and heritage specialist

Organizational committee

Association Gyvo Žalio (Monika Peldavičiūtė, Austė Juozapaitytė)
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (Daiva Petrusevičienė)
National Association of Medical Spa and Rehabilitation centers (Lina Nosevič)
Lithuanian Resorts Association (Kristina Citvarienė)
Lithuanian Forest Therapy and Education Center (Liudmila Monkevičė)
Lithuanian Nature Therapy Association (Linas Daubaras)
Association of Municipal Public Health Offices (Vijolė Miškinienė)
Lithuanian Phytotherapy Union (Ovidijus Vyšniauskas)
International Society of Forest Therapy, chairmanship of the association BioConvalley (Sven Rüger)
International Society of Forest Therapy (Darija Cvikl)

Advisory committee

Ministry of Health of The Republic of Lithuania (Edgaras Diržius, Minister’s advisor on personal and public mental health issues)
Ministry of Economy and Innovation (Kristina Bavėjan and Rūta Bankauskaitė, Economic Development Group)
Ministry of Environment (Donatas Vaikasas, head of the Forest Policy Group)
Ministry of Education, Science and Sport (Vilma Ferrari, chief specialist in primary and secondary education)
The Government of the Republic of Lithuania (Živilė Gudlevičienė, Advisor to the Prime Minister on health, social policy and disabled people)
State forest enterprise (Mindaugas Petkevičius, Deputy Director General for Forestry)
State service for protected areas (Rūta Baškytė, Senior Advisor)
Lithuania travel – National Tourism Promotion Agency (Olga Gončarova, director)
Hon.Prof. Heinz Boyer, Supervisory Board Chairman and the founder of IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences
Dr. Udo Brändle CEO and University Management Research at IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences

6th Congress Presidium

Association “Gyvo Zalio” is a support network based on shared values that brings citizens, experts, businesses, communities and institutions together in collaboration. With an 6 year experience of forest policy, advocacy, environmental protection, communities and sustainable development consulting, network building, public relations.

In our quest to find the best ways to protect Lithuanian forests and transition from a wood-production focus to a thriving non-wood economy, we discovered the incredible healing power of forests and the practice of forest therapy. Now our association is dedicated to bringing the best international examples of forest therapy to Lithuania, promoting a new vision for our forests: one that prioritizes health and well-being of people and the environment.

Dizainas Be Pavadinimo 46 — **Monika Peldavičiūtė**

Dizainas Be Pavadinimo 47 — **Austė Juozapaitytė**

Dizainas Be Pavadinimo 45 — **Stanislovas Čepinskas**

Organised by

International Society of Forest Therapy and Association Gyvo Žalio

In Collaboration with

Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Lithuanian National Association of Medical Spa and Rehabilitation centers, Lithuanian Resorts Association, Association of Municipal Public Health Offices, Lithuanian Phytotherapy Union, Lithuanian Forest Therapy and Education Center, Lithuanian Nature Therapy Association.

Vi Icfph Partner Nac Sanatorjijų Ir Reabilitacijos

Vi Icfph Partner Lithuanian Resorts Association

With the Support of

Vilnius Spa Druskininkai, Marmelad Events, Euromonitor International, Glasses On, K.T.S Production