Invitation to the 6th World Landslide Forum (WLF6)

Nicola Casagli President of the International Consortium on Landslides (ICL) and Chair of the 6^th World Landslide Forum

The 6th World Landslide Forum (WLF6) will be held in Florence from 14 to 17 November 2023. Previous editions have been held every three years in Tokyo (2008), Rome (2011), Beijing (2014), Ljubljana (2017), and Kyoto (2020/21).

The World Landslide Forum is the main event organized by the International Consortium on Landslides (ICL) under the International Programme on Landslides (IPL) with the support of five UN organizations (UNESCO, WMO, FAO, UNDRR, UNU) and two global stakeholders in Science and Technologies (ISC and WFEO).

In particular, the WLF6 will be organized in Florence (Italy) by the ICL, the IPL Global Promotion Committee, and the UNESCO Chair on the Prevention and Sustainable Management of Geo-Hydrological Hazards of the University of Florence.

The WLF6 is dedicated to Landslide Science for Sustainable Development as a contribution to the Kyoto Landslide Commitment 2020 for the global promotion of understanding and reducing landslide disaster risk, for the implementation of the UN Sendai Framework, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the New Urban Agenda, and the Paris Climate Agreement.

The WLF6 intends to promote a fruitful cooperation among landslide researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to define shared priority actions for landslide risk reduction on a global scale, through interdisciplinarity and open discussion. The Forum is addressed to research and academic institutions, UN organizations and agencies, national governments and local authorities, and non-governmental organizations with interest and activities in disaster risk reduction, international and national civil protection and disaster relief agencies and institutions, private sector involved in research, development, and practical applications of technologies and solutions in the field of landslide risk reduction.

The WLF6 will address key aspects related to landslides, such as risk reduction policies, monitoring and early warning, testing, and modeling, risk and hazard assessment, mitigation techniques, landslide triggering mechanisms, and climate change.

In particular, the following six major themes are identified:

• 1. Kyoto Landslide Commitment for sustainable development

• 2. Remote sensing, monitoring, and early warning

• 3. Testing, modeling, and mitigation techniques

• 4. Mapping, hazard, risk assessment, and management

• 5. Climate change, extreme weather, earthquakes, and landslides

• 6. Progress in landslide science and applications

In line with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, the WLF6 will be a sustainable event. It will be held in the city center of Florence, so everything is within walking distance and no printed material is needed, as the program and proceedings will be distributed to participants in electronic form. The congress venue is Palazzo dei Congressi and Palazzo degli Affari, located just in front of the main Florence railway station.

The scientific program includes 55 thematic sessions, workshops, side events, and an exhibition. It is therefore an important international showcase for scientific research, giving wide visibility to contributing scientists and organizations.

The first day of the Forum, the 14th of November, is devoted to the Opening Greetings from ICL, ICL supporting organizations and host organizations and KLC2020 General Conference 2023 with high-level panel discussion in the morning and Keynote lectures and Recognition and Awards Ceremony in the afternoon. November 15th, 16th, and the morning of 17th will be devoted to parallel sessions. November 17th afternoon the closing ceremony will take place.

On 18th and 19th November, five field trips will be organized for the Forum participants: Vajont landslide and dam, landslides and wine in Langhe region, landslides and cultural heritage at the border of an ancient volcano, slope instabilities in Campania region, and The Poggio Baldi landslide monitoring lab.

The call for abstract has opened on the 1st December 2022 while the call for registration opens in January 2023. Call for abstract and call for registration are available at the Forum website: https://wlf6.org.

On behalf of the organizing committee, I cordially invite you to participate in the Forum, to benefit from the extensive exchange between scientists, practitioners, and policy makers, and to enjoy the beauty and hospitality of the city of Florence.