Author: Jasmina

The France HABE Prize is presented annually by the International Union of Speleology (UIS). To ensure that the absent-minded and those running late don’t end up kicking themselves, the deadline for submitting applications has been extended to 30 June 2026. Don’t miss this opportunity! All the relevant information is available here: https://uis-speleo.org/index.php/karst-and-cave-protection-commission/ THANKS TO: The manufacturers of caving equipment RESSEG https://www.instagram.com/resseg and BARHAR https://www.barharrescue.com/collections/bags who are once again partnering with the UIS to reward the winner even more generously.

The Karst and Cave Protection Commission of the International Union of Speleology (UIS) is pleased to announce the opening of the France HABE Prize 2026. The prize is named in memory and in honor of Dr. France HABE from Slovenia (Yugoslavia), Past President of the Protection Department of the UIS (1973 -1997). The purpose of this prize endowed with 300€ is to promote the protection of karst and caves. Their natural heritage is an increasingly rich source of proven information on the history of our planet and of humanity, allowing us to act in a more thoughtful, effective and sustainable way for the future of our environment. This year the prize is supported by RESSEG and BARHAR. The deadline to submit for the France Habe Prize 2026 is May 20, 2026. France HABE…

We are glad to share with you Volume 67-2 of the UIS Bulletin. The PDF Interactive format can be downloaded by clicking on the link: http://uis-speleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/UIS-Bulletin-67-2-final.pdf The 117 pages of this issue bring the following topics: TABLE OF CONTENTS • Editorial • President’s Column • International Day of Caves and Karst • 19th International Congress of Speleology 2025 • UIS Bureau 2025–2029 • Minutes of the UIS Bureau Meetings • “Above and Below”: Barry Lawrence Ruderman Conference • List of UIS Commissions and Working Groups • List of Member Countries We appreciate your comments and suggestions to improve upcoming issues.

First Celebration of the International Day of Caves and Karst (IDCK), proclaimed by UNESCO Postojna, Slovenia: 10–13 September 2026 Following the proclamation of the International Day of Caves and Karst (IDCK) by UNESCO, the first official celebration is planned to take place in Postojna, Slovenia, in September 2026. The central date of the celebration will be 13 September 2026, with a series of scientific and outreach events planned in the days leading up to it. Preliminary programme outline (subject to confirmation): 10 - 12 September 2026 – International conference in Postojna Theme: Sustainable management of caves and karst, with a focus on protection, education and research as a foundation for sustainable development, and scientific excursion to selected karst and cave sites 12 September 2026 (Saturday evening) – Official IDCK celebration…

At today’s General Conference of UNESCO in Samarkand (12 November 2025), 13 September was officially proclaimed the International Day of Caves and Karst — a global recognition of the significance of the hidden world beneath our feet. The initiative was proposed to UNESCO by the Republic of Slovenia, following the proposal of the International Union of Speleology (UIS), in close cooperation with the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO, the Permanent Delegation of Slovenia to UNESCO, and the Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU, where the UIS headquarters has been based in Postojna, Slovenia. Caves and karst cover nearly one quarter of the Earth’s land surface and provide drinking water to over a billion people. They preserve unique subterranean biodiversity, geological archives, and invaluable cultural heritage. Yet, they remain among the least…

The 2025 Prize This year, although very different, the topics addressed by the candidates were treated by highlighting a wide range of options such as raising awareness of caving, the protection and conservation of caves and karst environments, the concomitance between exploration results and scientific research, education and tourism without forgetting to identify ways to perpetuate their objectives. The members of the 2025 France Habe Prize Jury rated each submission using an evaluation grid covering relevance, presentation, interdisciplinarity, photography, scientific content, readability and originality. For 2025, the choice of the Jury was not easy given the quality of the six works submitted. Finally, the Jury decided, unanimously, to reward Laurent Bruxelles from France and his team for their project «Gcwihaba cave» - Bodsuana. The 2025 France HABE Prize will be…

The International Union of Speleology (UIS) is pleased to announce that our official proposal for the proclamation of an International Day of Caves and Karst (IDCK) has been formally reviewed by the UNESCO Secretariat. The Republic of Slovenia, in coordination with UIS, is actively working to secure co-sponsorship from UNESCO Member States. We now need your help! Please: Inform your national UNESCO delegation or relevant government authorities about the IDCK proposal. Kindly request their support during the voting process at the  Executive Board (September 2025) and at the General Conference (November 2025). Let us come together to give caves and karst the global recognition they deserve—for science, for nature, for culture, and future generations. Spread the word, share the poster, and help us gain momentum!    

Following the successful International Year of Caves and Karst 2021 (celebrated in 2022), the International Union of Speleology (UIS), with the support of the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO, prepared a formal proposal to UNESCO to proclaim: 13 September as the UNESCO International Day of Caves and Karst (IDCK) – a global observance dedicated to education, conservation, and raising public awareness about caves and karst landscapes. Why 13 September? No other international observance currently takes place on this date. It does not favour any nationality or organisation. On this date in 2021, caves and karst were presented at UNESCO for the first time (although UIS itself was established on 16 September). Current Status (June 2025) The UIS proposal for the proclamation of the IDCK has been formally reviewed by the…

We are glad to share with you Volume 67-1 of the UIS Bulletin. The PDF Interactive format can be downloaded by clicking on the link: http://uis-speleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/UIS-Bulletin-67-1-June-2025.pdf The 41pages of this issue bring the following topics: TABLE OF CONTENTS • Editorial: “The UIS Bulletin and its Editors: Evolving Every Cycle” • President’s Column: “Milestones and Momentum: 60 Years of UIS, the 19th ICS, and the Future with IDCK” • 19th ICS 2025 - Message to the participants • 19th ICS 2025 - State of the Art of the organization and perspectives • 19th ICS 2025 - Keynote Lectures scheduled • 19th ICS 2025 - List of Sponsors and Supporters • Arts and Letters Commission - Report of first UIS Photo Contest • International Meeting of Speleologists under UIS Patronage (Czech Republic)…

The UIS is calling for its 2025 prizes, to be assigned and celebrated during the 19th International Congress of Speleology, to be held in Belo Horizonte (Brasil) from July 20 to 27, 2025. All cavers are invited to participate to the different categories of prizes. Instructions and details are in the following PDF file. Please note that the deadline for nominations is June 30, 2025.