Great Lakes Conference: Save-the-Date and Submit Your Proposals!

The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is excited to announce that the 2023 Great Lakes Conference will be held from October 12-13 in Cleveland, Ohio.

We will be expanding the conference from last year and meeting for two full days rather than a day-and-a-half. Plenaries and breakout sessions will cover both days and the first day will also include optional field trips and an evening reception. Advocates from across the region attend and vary from university students to policy analysts to environmental justice leaders, and everyone in between.

The Coalition invites folks to submit a proposal for presentations at the conference or field trips in Cleveland. We are seeking proposals for these sessions from individuals and local, Tribal, state, regional, and national organizations working on issues of relevance to Great Lakes restoration.

Breakout sessions at the conference provide valuable insights, unique stories, and practical hands-on training relevant to Great Lakes advocacy and restoration. Though not an exhaustive list, potential topic areas can include: Great Lakes policy issues; innovative and compelling Great Lakes restoration stories and case studies; addressing environmental injustices; and Great Lakes research. Field trips complement conference topics, allow participants to see first-hand the important work being done by Coalition members and partners, and let participants experience the culture and unique identity of the host city.

The Coalition is dedicated to using the conference platform to highlight all voices of the Great Lakes region and strives to be inclusive of the entire Great Lakes community. We strongly encourage applications from those representing culturally and racially diverse communities, as well as groups or individuals representing or supporting work the communities most impacted by pollution throughout the Great Lakes region.

The deadline to submit proposals is May 12, 2023. Further information and application instructions can be found on our website.

For questions regarding session proposals or the conference in general, contact Celia Haven at HavenC@nwf.org or Laura Rubin at RubinL@nwf.org.

As the conference planning moves forward, we will share registration information and updates on the agenda. In the meantime, block off October 12-13 on your calendars. We hope to see you there!