Clermont Ferrand - France
International pastoralists meetings inside Sommet Élevage - one of the largest international livestock exhibitions in Europe.
Following the FAO's announcement that 2026 would be the International Year of Pastoralism, the organizers of the Livestock Summit, "the World Summit of Sustainable Livestock Farming," wanted to highlight pastoralism, an essential practice in grassland livestock farming. Thus, in 2024, SIDAM (Interdepartmental Service for the Development of the Massif Central) and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Pastoral Network were entrusted with coordinating the increased focus on pastoralism at the Livestock Summit. The dedicated space, hosting a multitude of stakeholders in pastoralism and featuring technical conferences and political meetings, is called "The Pastoral Encounters." In 2026, the Pastoral Encounters will consist of a booth to welcome national and international pastoralism stakeholders, an interactive space to share information on pastoral practices, and a comprehensive conference program covering a wide range of topics, including the sustainability of pastoral areas in the face of the challenges they face. In addition, several pastoral countries will be invited by the Livestock Summit to represent the diversity of pastoralism worldwide.