
Full Schedule
26 May
2026 GEO Symposium Opening Session
Moderator: Wenbo Chu, Work Programme Officer, GEO Secretariat
Welcome and opening remarks
- Yana Gevorgyan, GEO Secretariat Director
Setting the scene
- Evangelos Gerasopoulos, Programme Board Co-chair
- Amos Kabo-Bah, Programme Board Co-chair
- Justyna Nicinska, Programme Board Co-chair
Keynote speech
- Wang Jian, Director of Zhejiang Lab
Housekeeping
- Moderator






2026 GEO Symposium Town Hall - Exploring New Models for Implementing the Post-2025 GEO Work Programme
As GEO advances the Post-2025 Strategy, there is a growing need to strengthen how the GEO Work Programme (GWP) activities are designed, implemented, evaluated, and sustained. This town hall will explore new and evolving models for implementing GWP activities, with a focus on co-design with users, public-private partnerships, and financially and organizationally sustainable arrangements such as hosting models and distributed governance. Building on practical experiences from across the GEO community, panelists will also demonstrate how measurable results attract investment, guide decision-making, and ensure accountability to users and partners.
The discussion will highlight approaches for defining and using indicators and metrics that capture user value, adoption, sustainability, and scalability of Earth Intelligence solutions. Participants will engage in an interactive dialogue on how GEO can support consistent yet flexible measurement practices across GWP activities, strengthening learning, transparency, and investment readiness while maintaining a strong focus on user needs.





Group Photo + Coffee Break
Lunch
Coffee Break
Community Event - Earth Observations in Support of Marine Protected Areas
Coffee Break
27 May
2026 GEO Symposium Town Hall - Harnessing Innovative Technologies for Earth Intelligence Solutions
This town hall session will spotlight how cutting-edge technologies - such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, digital twins, drones and very-high-resolution (VHR) satellite imagery - are transforming Earth Intelligence (EI) into actionable, decision-ready solutions. Drawing on real examples from GEO Work Programme (GWP) activities, panelists will demonstrate how these technologies are being applied to address pressing challenges in areas such as agriculture, biodiversity, disaster risk reduction and Urban Resilience.
The discussion will focus on what it takes to scale technology-enabled EI solutions, including the role of open data and open knowledge, interoperable platforms, partnerships, and investment. Participants will engage in a forward-looking dialogue on how GEO can accelerate the responsible, scalable and sustainable adoption of innovative technologies to maximize impact for users worldwide.






Coffee Break
Coffee Break
Lunch
Community Event - Relational Earth Intelligence: Indigenous frameworks for biodiversity and ethical AI governance
Community Event - AI4EO: Advancing Earth Intelligence through artificial intelligence and Earth observation
Coffee Break
Coffee Break
2026 GEO Symposium Closing Session
Moderator: Evangelos Gerasopoulos, Programme Board Co-chair
Video re-cap of the Symposium
Highlights of sessions
Celebrating the success of GWP Flagships
Closing remarks
- Yana Gevorgyan, GEO Secretariat Director


28 May
GEO-21 Plenary GEO-21 Plenary Session 1: Opening Session
Welcome and opening remarks from the European Union, GEO Lead Co-Chair
- Joanna Drake, Deputy Director-General, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD), European Commission
Opening remarks from China, GEO Co-Chair
- Jiachang Chen, Vice Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), China
Opening remarks from South Africa, GEO Co-Chair
- Humbulani Mudau, Chief Executive Officer, South African National Space Agency (SANSA), South Africa
Opening remarks from the United States, GEO Co-Chair
- Taylor Jordan, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United States
Opening remarks from the GEO Secretariat
- Yana Gevorgyan, Director, GEO Secretariat
Approval of Plenary agenda
Approval of Draft Report of GEO-20 Plenary
Presentation of new Members, Participating Organizations and Associates
Intervention by Togo as new GEO Member:
- Yoma Baka, Director General, National Civil Protection Agency, Ministry of Security and Civil Protection, Togo / Manuel Ntumba, Executive Vice President, Tod'Aérs Global Network, Togo







Group Photo + Coffee Break
GEO-21 Plenary Session 2: Transformational Impact in Action: Programme Results Driving Earth Intelligence Investment
This session will highlight the transformational impact achieved by GEO Work Programme Flagships through concrete, real-world results. Project leads will share user-driven stories that demonstrate how Earth Intelligence solutions are improving decision-making, strengthening resilience, and unlocking value for countries and communities. The panel will showcase how investments and public-private partnerships - both financial and in-kind - translate into measurable outcomes. Participants will be invited to reflect on lessons learned and the opportunities to scale successful approaches across the GEO ecosystem.
Panel Session
Moderator: Madeeha Bajwa, Chief Work Programme Coordinator, GEO Secretariat
Speakers:
- H.E. Esi Awuah, Ambassador of Ghana to Switzerland, on behalf of GEO Land Degradation Neutrality (GEO-LDN)
- Angelica Gutierrez, Programme Director, GEO Global Water Sustainability (GEOGLOWS)
- Wenjiang Huang, Lead, Global Vegetation Pest and Disease Dynamic Remote Sensing and Monitoring and Forecasting (GEO-PDRS)
- Michele Melchiorri, Co-Chair, GEO Human Planet Initiative (HPI)
- Lisa-Maria Rebelo, Managing Director, Digital Earth Africa (DE Africa)
Interventions from the floor





Lunch
GEO-21 Plenary Session 3: From Participation to Partnership: Advancing Member Engagement Across Regions
This session will focus on concrete ways for GEO to shift from broad participation to deeper, action-driven partnerships across regions. Building on Member priorities and Regional GEO leadership, it will present new collaborative models, co-designed initiatives, and resource-mobilisation approaches that strengthen national and regional impact. Participants will explore practical opportunities for joint investments, engagement with the private sector, as well as coordinated global advocacy and regional action to accelerate GEO’s collective delivery.
Panel Session
Moderator: Sara Venturini, Chief of Member Services, GEO Secretariat
Speakers:
- Matthew Adepoju, Director-General, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Nigeria
- Xiaohan Liao, Director General, Key Laboratory of Low-Altitude Geographic Information and Air Routes, Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), China
- Melany Ramirez, Director of Geospatial Analysis and Climate Change, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN), Guatemala
- Dirk Engelbart, Director, Division Meteorology and German Meteorological Service (DWD), Federal Ministry of Transport, Germany
- Melanie Hutchinson, International Geospatial Lead, Government Digital Service, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), United Kingdom
- Thibault Valentin, Policy Officer, Space Cooperation, Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), European Commission
Interventions from the floor







Coffee Break
GEO-21 Plenary Session 4: GEO Plenary Business (closed session)
Presentation by the GEO Programme Board: update on the GEO Work Programme
- Evangelos Gerasopoulos, Director of the Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens (NOA), Greece
- Justyna Nicinska, Senior International Relations Specialist, National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United States
- Amos Kabo-Bah, Associate Professor and Dean International Relations Office, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana
Interventions from the floor
Presentation by the Data and Knowledge Working Group: approval of the In-situ Data Strategy
- Helen Glaves
Demonstration by the GEO Infrastructure Development Task Team: approval of the GEO Infrastructure Implementation Plan
- Bente Lilja Bye
- Paola de Salvo, GEO Infrastructure Coordinator, GEO Secretariat
Interventions from the floor
Presentation by the Rules of Procedure Task Force: approval of the revised GEO Rules of Procedure.
- Rules of Procedure Task Force Co-Chairs (TBC)
Interventions from the floor
Presentation by the GEO Budget Working Group: approval of the 2026 Secretariat Budget
- Jean Dusart, Policy Officer, Environmental Observations Sector, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD), European Commission
Interventions from the floor
Presentation of Executive Committee Members 2026: approval of new members
Interventions from the floor






GEO-21 Plenary Session 5: Closing Session
Review of Plenary Decisions
Handover of GEO Lead Co-Chair from the European Union to the United States and brief closing remarks:
- Franz Immler, Head of the Environmental Observation Sector, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD), European Commission
- Taylor Jordan, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United States
Adjourn


Open to all registered attendees
Restricted access: on invitation only
Restricted access: only open for Official GEO Delegates