The overall theme of this year’s EUROPARC conference is "100 years of national parks in Europe - a shared inheritance; a common future". This marks 100 years since the first 9 national parks in Europe were established in Sweden in 1909. The conference will explore what has happened within the field of nature conservation over the last 100 years and what challenges we face in the future. The focus will be on the marine environment, climate change and biodiversity as well as on how to use adaptation, benefits and values, and networks to create successful nature conservation and management.

The conference will take place in the picturesque town of Strömstad in South-West Sweden. Strömstad is located between Sweden's second largest city, Gothenburg, and the capital of Norway, Oslo. The Koster Sea, home to more than 6000 marine species, is located just outside Strömstad. This marine area will become Sweden's 29th national park and will be inaugurated on the first day of the EUROPARC conference together with the Hvaler National Park in Norway.