The European Cave Protection Commission is proud to announce that there are now 6 datasets of cleaned caves in Europe available at the “Clean-Up the Dark” website.
Following the initial data from Croatia, Slovenia and Italy, there is data now also about cleaned and polluted caves and karst from France and from Germany available.
Furthermore there is a dataset from The Basque Country listed as well.
In case your organisation has such data it would be a pleasure to integrate this in the Clean-up the Dark database and make efforts of cleaned underground available to all.
Please have a look at the dedicated website.
The Clean-up the Dark team
The 18th EuroSpeleo Forum and the Meeting of Croatian Speleologists are two events joined into one, called “Mundus Spelaeus 2026”, both of which attract a great number of speleologists, friends of speleology, enthusiasts and nature lovers from across Croatia, Europe and beyond.
The aim of the event is to bring together researchers, scientists and enthusiasts to exchange experience and present the results of new research, to strengthen cooperation between European speleological federations and clubs, to share knowledge, standardize practices, and develop joint codes of ethics and technical standards for the exploration and protection of caves and pits.
This year, for the first time, Croatia is hosting the EuroSpeleo Forum – its 18th edition.
You will find the basic information about the preliminary program and venue of the event, the registration fee, submitting lectures and posters, the speleophotography exhibition, and more in the 2nd circular that can be downloaded here: https://www.eurospeleo.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Mundus_Spelaeus_Second_Circular-En.pdf
More information also on the event website:https://www.speleo.hr/mundus-spelaeus-en/
Underground Vision, The Unseen World, International contest for images of the underground world.
The contest is organized by TETIIDE APS in collaboration with the European Speleological Federation (FSE) and the European Children and Young Cavers working group (ECYC).
General Regulations
The underground is the largest and least-known space on the planet. This competition brings together all the forms through which humans have represented it: photography, surveying, cartography, scientific and historical illustration.
The 2nd EuroSpeleo Youth Contest , which will be held during the 18th EuroSpeleo Forum and the Meeting of Croatian Speleologists (Pazin, Istria, Croatia, 13-15 November 2026).
For the second time, the spotlight is on children and young speleologists from all over Europe: you are the protagonists!
Are you under 20? Show off your talent!
Tell us your story, what fascinates you about caves. Participate with speleo photos or cave maps !
Submission deadline: October 30, 2026 – to: youthcontest@tetide.org
All entries will be evaluated by a professional jury with expertise in speleology and the specific theme. The entries may also be voted on for the Audience Award .
The winners will be presented in the EuroSpeleo Youthletter .
Participation details:
Tips for Young Speleologists:
It is with great pleasure that the European Speleological Federation (FSE) publishes the next EuroSpeleo Newsletter of July 2026. This Newsletter will be exclusively available in electronic form and it will be distributed through the FSE mailing lists, website, Facebook and Instagram page. It is edited by the FSE Bureau and will inform member countries and individual speleologists about important events nationally and internationally as well as new developments and the initiatives of the FSE and its member countries. This Newsletter will be released on an occasional basis.
Please spread this newsletter on the broadest way possible among caving clubs and individual speleologists and all those interested.
You can download the English version of the July 2026 newsletter and the French version of the Bulletin d’Information EuroSpeleo juillet 2026.
With cordial regards,
The FSE Bureau, July 2026
The European Cave Protection Commission (ECPC) of the European Speleological Federation (FSE), is pleased to announce that following the evaluation of the applications received, the EuroSpeleo Protection Label 2026 has been attributed to the Jamarski klub Novo mesto (Eng. Caving Club Novo mesto) from Slovenia for their Project: PROTEctUS – Cleaning and Protecting Cave Habitats for the Conservation of the Black Olm
The prize is endowed by € 800.- and caving gear from the FSE sponsor Aventure-Verticale. (www.aventureverticale.com)
The link to the ESPL page is here: https://www.eurospeleo.eu/ECPC/espl/
Information on the project can be found here: https://www.eurospeleo.eu/ECPC/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ESPL2026_Winner-Summary.pdf
best regards,
Jean-Claude Thies
ECPC President
European Cave Protection Commission
Fédération Spéléologique Européenne asbl.
MUNDUS SPELAEUS – 18th EuroSpeleo Forum & Meeting of Croatian Speleologists – Pazin 2026 will take place in the Town of Pazin, Istria, Croatia, from 13 to 15 November 2026.
This year, Croatia will host the international EuroSpeleo Forum for the first time. As Europe’s leading speleological event, the Forum is celebrating its 18th edition this year.
The event is organized under the auspices of the European Speleological Federation (FSE) and is supported by the Croatian Speleological Federation (HSS), the Commission for Speleology of the Croatian Mountaineering Association (KS HPS), and the City of Pazin.
The organizer of the Meeting of Croatian Speleologists is the Speleological Society Istra – Pazin. Co-organizers are the Estavela Speleological Association, the Karlovac Speleological Society, and the Ursus spelaeus Speleological Club from Karlovac.
See for the location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/j18yFRUvvnCHw4A66
Istria is the largest Croatian peninsula, located in the northeastern Adriatic Sea, and is widely recognized throughout Europe.. The region is a well-known tourist destination, renowned for its karst landscapes and its long tradition of exploration, dating back to the very beginnings of modern European speleology.
The EuroSpeleo Forum and the Meeting of Croatian Speleologists are two events combined into one, attracting numerous cavers, friends of speleology, enthusiasts, and nature lovers from across Croatia and Europe. The aim of the event is to bring together explorers, scientists, and enthusiasts to exchange experiences and present the results of new research, strengthen cooperation among European speleological federations and clubs, promote knowledge sharing and standardization, and support the development of common ethical codes and technical standards for the exploration and protection of caves and karst features.
By attending MUNDUS SPELAEUS, you become part of a unique speleological community where, through lectures, images, words, and films, you can experience the mysterious underground world in which scientific discoveries and adventure merge into an unforgettable experience, creating lifelong passion and friendships. This event is dedicated to all aspects of speleology and is equally valuable to scientists, experienced cavers, beginners, and supporters of speleology, offering interesting lectures and activities for everyone.
More information is to be found on the event website: https://www.speleo.hr/mundus-spelaeus-en/
FSE scholarships to encourage young cavers to attend the 18th EuroSpeleo Forum in Pazin, Croatia from 13-15 November 2026
The annual EuroSpeleo Forum is a unique opportunity to discover karst areas around Europe, exchange knowledge about recent karst research, discoveries and cave protection activities on an international level. But most importantly, it is the place to become part of the European speleological community, where old and new friends as well as different generations of cave enthusiasts meet. It is the place to get connected to Speleology in Europe.
For this reason the FSE supports especially the attendance of young speleologists active in caving, karst research or karst protection to the 18th EuroSpeleo Forum in 2026 in Croatia.
The FSE grants two scholarships to young speleologists for attending the 18th EuroSpeleo Forum in Pazin, Istria, Croatia.
Information on the EuroSpeleo Forum can be found here: https://www.speleo.hr/mundus-spelaeus-en/
The requirements are:
a) Applicants must be affiliated to an organisation being member of FSE (via your local club)
b) Applicants must be 26 years of age or younger. You must be at least 18 years old when signing and sending in the application form.
c) Applicants are required to send an application form and a letter of recommendation to the FSE.
Each scholarship is up to a maximum of EUR 500. Details, including the deadline, will be specified on the application form to be downloaded here:
https://www.eurospeleo.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/FSE_Scholarship_2026.pdf
Please send your application by e-mail as soon as possible to contact@eurospeleo.eu
At the General Assembly of the European Speleological Federation FSE on the 16th April 2026 the Czech Republic was accepted as a new member country. They were unanimously warmly welcomed into the FSE family by the other member countries. The FSE now has 32 members.
The Czech Republic will be represented to the FSE by the Czech Speleological Society (Česká Speleologická Společnost) with the new delegates Michal Hejna and Markéta Jakovenko. The Czech Speleological Society represents 59 clubs with over 1.200 cavers. We thank the board of the Czech Speleological Society to have taken the step to apply for the FSE membership.
We all look forward to a good cooperation with our Czech colleagues and hope that their membership will lead to many mutual speleological activities.
It is with great pleasure that the FSE announces the next call for Cave Protection projects to receive the Label “EuroSpeleo Protection 2026” from the ECPC (the European Cave Protection Commission of the FSE).
The EuroSpeleo Protection Label is a European Speleological award managed by the ECPC, financed by the FSE budget. The EuroSpeleo Protection Label will help to promote amongst the speleological clubs of Europe, Cave Protection activities that are designed in an integrated ecological way, taking into account EU environmental directives, the principles of administration of the Natura 2000 sites and the IUCN Guidelines on caves and karst protection.
With what kind of projects can you apply?
The EuroSpeleo Protection Label will be awarded every year to one unique Cave Protection project. A European speleological jury established by the ECPC Board will make the selection. Any project aiming at protecting caves developed by a club, a local committee or a national commission from a member of the FSE can apply.
What are the criteria to receive the FSE EuroSpeleo Protection Label and what is the prize?
There is no need for participation of cavers from different countries, but the application should be a quality project and the broadcasting of the project presentation and results should be made in a spirit that can be reproduced in other European regions and countries. The application should be sent to protection@eurospeleo.eu before 30th of April 2026, in English language.
The project must receive the approval from its national speleological organisation, i.e. a letter of support from the national organisation, member of the FSE.
The reward for the label 2026 is 800.- EUR plus caving gear from our FSE-sponsor Aventure-Verticale.
Please refer to the ESPL-Guidelines and Application Form published on the FSE site at: https://www.eurospeleo.eu/ECPC/espl/
best regards,
Jean-Claude Thies
ECPC President
European Cave Protection Commission
Fédération Spéléologique Européenne asbl
It is with great pleasure that the European Speleological Federation (FSE) publishes the next EuroSpeleo Newsletter of January 2026. This Newsletter will be exclusively available in electronic form and it will be distributed through the FSE mailing lists, website, Facebook and Instagram page. It is edited by the FSE Bureau and will inform member countries and individual speleologists about important events nationally and internationally as well as new developments and the initiatives of the FSE and its member countries. This Newsletter will be released on an occasional basis.
Please spread this newsletter on the broadest way possible among caving clubs and individual speleologists and all those interested.
You can download the English version of the January 2026 newsletter and the French version of the Bulletin d’Information EuroSpeleo janvier 2026.
With cordial regards,
The FSE Bureau, January 2026
At the 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 understood and most fragile ecosystems on our planet.
The International Day of Caves and Karst will help raise global awareness, promote research, education, and international cooperation in science, environmental protection, culture, and sustainable tourism.
The UIS warmly thanks all UNESCO Member States that supported the initiative, as well as the UNESCO scientific programmes (IGGP, MAB, IHP) and international partners including the International Science Council (ISC), IUCN, and more than 150 organisations worldwide that endorsed the proposal. Our sincere appreciation goes to the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO and the Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Slovenia to UNESCO in Paris for their dedicated diplomatic efforts and continuous support.
From now on, September 13 will unite the global cave and karst community in celebrating and protecting these vital landscapes — for science, for nature, and for humanity.
Don’t forget, in 2026 we will celebrate the first ever International Day of Caves and Karst on 13 September!
Nadja Zupan Hajna, UIS Past President
November, 2025
We invite all cavers and those present at the EuroSpeleo Forum – Capovolta (see https://radunocapovolta.it/) in Volta Montovana, Italy to a public meeting of the Bureau of the European Speleological Federation FSE.
The meeting will take place on 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝟭𝟬:𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭𝟮:𝟬𝟬 𝗵𝗿𝘀 (for the location see the announcements at the Forum).
At this meeting we will present all aspects of the work and possibilties the FSE has to offer:
– General presentation of the European Speleological Federation, it’s history, structure, commissions and working groups
– Presentation on the EuroSpeleo projects, what can be funded, how to apply, the guidelines
– Presentation of the work and achievements of the European Cave Protection Commission
– Presentation of the work and plans of the European Children and Young Cavers Working Group
At he meeting also the prize take-over for the winner of this year’s EuroSpeleo Protection Label will take place.
𝙒𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙎𝙀. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙎𝙀 𝘽𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙡𝙡.
The European Speleological Federation (FSE) enhances the ability to find, enjoy and share the best speleological and caving films from one spot: Speleo-TV (https://speleo-tv.eu/).
Speleo-TV’s mission is to offer cavers the means to share creative work with caving communities around the world. We also hope Speleo-TV will some day serve as an inclusive directory for speleological videos and films.
Please, send us your videos (or links to videos) and be part Speleo-TV. Submit you video at: https://speleo-tv.eu/submit-video/
With Best Regards,
Elina Saarinen (FSE Delegate of Finland), Speleo-TV Project Manager.
𝗜𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗼-𝗧𝗩:
– 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗼 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿: 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
The winning video in the video competition of the Euospeleo 2022 in Burgos (Spain)
See: https://speleo-tv.eu/2025/09/25/eurospeleo-2022-winner-future-generation/
– 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘀, 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿
The Cave of Two Worlds is a poetic and thought-provoking creative documentary set on the border between Greece and Albania, where a unique cave becomes a lens through which we explore the interconnectedness of nature, memory, myth, and geopolitics.
It aims to engage global audiences with urgent themes of environmental preservation, cultural heritage, and the reimagining of borders in a time of fragmentation.
See: https://speleo-tv.eu/2025/09/25/eurospeleo-protection-label-2025-the-cave-of-two-worlds-trailer/
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