International Day of Caves and Karst, proclaimed last year at Slovenia’s initiative, is being celebrated for the first time
SLOVENIA, September 13 - In November 2025, the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand proclaimed the International Day of Caves and Karst, to be celebrated worldwide every year on 13 September. Following the proposal of the International Union of Speleology (UIS), based in Postojna, Slovenia, the Republic of Slovenia put forth this initiative in close cooperation with the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO, the then Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Permanent Delegation of Slovenia to UNESCO in Paris.
The initiative was launched in 2021 following the successful implementation of the International Year of Caves and Karst project in 2021. The project was initiated by the UIS, the presidency of which was held by Slovenia at the time. The aim was to promote, support and facilitate scientific research, management, education and exploration of caves, karst landscapes and groundwater on an international scale, and to enhance international cooperation. During this period, approximately 1,100 activities were organised by national speleological organisations, other specialist groups, institutions and various international organisations from 65 countries.
The International Day of Caves and Karst helps raise global awareness of caves and karst landscapes, and highlights Slovenia’s exceptionally important role in this field. The day promotes understanding among stakeholders, including international institutions, national governments, local communities, scientists, educators, tourism professionals and the general public, of these natural phenomena, the importance of understanding natural processes and the need to protect and use them sustainably. Caves and karst systems cover one-fifth of the Earth’s land surface and provide over a billion people with drinking water. Nevertheless, these subterranean landscapes are poorly understood and vulnerable. The International Day of Caves and Karst is being observed for the first time on 13 September this year. It is dedicated to raising awareness of karst, promoting research into it and educating people about its protection.
The proclamation of International Day of Caves and Karst acknowledges Slovenia’s long-standing scientific, caving and nature conservation work. This is largely thanks to its more than 15,800 registered caves and a rich karst heritage, not to mention that both the Karst Research Institute of the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC SAZU) and the UIS are based in Postojna.
Supporters of the initiative from Slovenia included the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SAZU), the ZRC SAZU Karst Research Institute, the Speleological Association of Slovenia, the Geological Survey of Slovenia, the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation (IRSNC), the Biotechnological Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, the Slovenian Geological Society, the Association of Slovenian Geographers, the Geomorphological Society of Slovenia, the Dinaricum Society, the Škocjan Caves Park and the Postojna Cave d.d. company.
The inaugural International Day of Caves and Karst celebrations will be held in Postojna from 10 to 13 September under the patronage of UNESCO and the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar. The ceremony at the Postojna Cave on the evening of 12 September will be attended by Ambassador Jernej Videtič, Acting Director-General of the Directorate for Economic Diplomacy, Development and Humanitarian Aid, who will represent the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. The event is organised by the ZRC SAZU Karst Research Institute and the UIS.
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