ISCAR Southern Europe and West Asia Conference 2025 Concludes in Barcelona
The ISCAR Southern Europe and West Asia 2025 Conference (#ISCAR2025BCN), hosted at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC) in Barcelona, has successfully concluded. Held under the theme “Towards Equity, Peace, and Sustainability in a Time of Crisis,” the event brought together 71 scholars, researchers, and practitioners representing 21 countries.
The conference provided a space for scholarly exchange, critical reflection, and the development of new collaborations at a moment in history shaped by global conflict, social challenges, and rapidly evolving tools such as artificial intelligence. Participants highlighted the importance of fostering research communities grounded in openness, pluralism, and mutual respect.
The chair of the conference, Margarida Romero and the organising committee, extends its sincere appreciation to the volunteer team, affectionately known as the “blue dot” team (Thomas Frøsig, Patricia Díaz, Amaia Uzcátegui, Sara Cebollada, Saint-Clair Lefevre, Guillermo Pech, Joseba Cejudo, Chengcheng Li, and Prof. Oksana Strutynska) for their outstanding support and warm hospitality. Special thanks are also offered to the UIC Faculty of Education, led by Dean Enric Vidal, alongside Asun Verdera, Sergio Cruz, Marta Teruel, and Patricia Velázquez, and to the #ISCAR2025BCN and ISCAR Executive Board members (Annalisa Sannino, Brett Bligh et al.) for their trust.
During the closing session, particular recognition was given to keynote speakers Prof. Sylvie Barma and Prof. Katerina Plakitsi, whose academic trajectories offered inspiration and strengthened participants’ collective sense of scholarly belonging. Further acknowledgment was given to the invited session organized by Alfredo Jornet, featuring Emad Al-Rozzi, titled: “Towards peace and respect of human rights: Sociocultural research perspectives for supporting the peace efforts in Southern Europe and Middle East.” The conference community also warmly thanked Elif Polat, Sinan Hopcan, and their son Eymen, who shared personal reflections on academic mobility, family life, and learning across different countries.
Looking ahead, the conclusion of #ISCAR2025BCN marks the beginning of new collaborative efforts. Diego Di Massi (University of Turin) announced that the next ISCAR Southern Europe and West Asia gathering is being planned for 2026, with details to follow. In addition, Prof. Manuel L. de la Mata-Benítez presented ongoing developments from recent ISCAR Ibérica conferences and the upcoming event at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, to be organized by Nacho Montero and David Poveda.
The ISCAR community expresses its heartfelt gratitude to all who contributed to the success of #ISCAR2025BCN in Barcelona and looks forward to continued collaboration and shared efforts toward a more equitable and sustainable future.
