Mountain areas are not only places of exceptional natural wealth and cultural heritage; they are living spaces of knowledge, production, social creativity and new opportunities. Their future lies in creating new possibilities by drawing on local knowledge and connecting the needs of people and communities with scientific knowledge, European experience and new, sustainable forms of regenerative development.

This is precisely the connection that the Mountain Games Futures Lab seeks to establish. As a thematic component of Mountain Games Cyprus 2026, it focuses on the future of mountain areas and reflects the scientific and development-oriented approach of the MountMed Institute: ensuring that research and knowledge do not remain disconnected from society, but are transformed into practical applications and actions on the ground.

Through thematic events, participatory activities and educational programmes, the Laboratory for the Future brings together communities, young people, scientists, professionals, institutional stakeholders and European organisations participating in the event to promote healthy lifestyles among the wider population. Active and sustainable tourism, equal access to outdoor experiences and activities, youth participation, quality hiking trails and other sporting activities, gastronomic heritage, and scientific knowledge around exercise, health and quality of life are not treated as separate topics. Instead, they come together around one shared question:

How can the mountain become a place for exercise and wellbeing, a space for creative participation, a field for sustainable economic activity, and a foundation for more vibrant, inclusive and resilient communities?

Five Complementary Activities in Troodos

Mountain Games: A Laboratory for the Future unfolds through five complementary activities taking place from 24 to 26 September across different communities of Troodos.

In Agros, the thematic conference Mountain Areas, Special Interest Tourism and Community Resilience opens the discussion on how mountain sports and outdoor activities, local products and gastronomic experiences can contribute to a sustainable model of mountain tourism that respects the identity of each place and creates meaningful benefits for local communities. Accessibility has a particularly important role in the discussion, as a fundamental element of quality, equality and social responsibility for a modern mountain destination. Among the day's key contributions is the practical experience of the Italian Hiking Federation in assessing and certifying accessible trails, training guides and using specialised equipment for people with mobility impairments.

This is followed by the participatory workshop Youth, Hiking, Healthy Lifestyles and Participation in Mountain Areas, which gives a voice to young people and the organisations working with them. Movement, hiking, sport for all, volunteering, non-formal education and European cooperation are explored as ways of strengthening wellbeing, creativity and the active participation of young people in mountain communities.

In Omodos, the thematic conference Women of the Mountain: Bearers of Gastronomic Heritage and Their Role in the Resilience of Local Communities highlights their contribution to the local economy, the preservation of rural life and the social resilience of mountain communities. The activity also forms part of the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 and is held under the auspices of the Commissioner for Gender Equality.

In Spilia, the two-day educational workshop Leading Quality Trails – Best of Europe brings specialised European expertise to Cyprus on the assessment, upgrading and future certification of quality hiking trails. The training represents an important first step towards creating the conditions required for trails to connect visitor experience with the protection of the environment and cultural heritage, as well as the sustainable development of local communities.

Mountain Games Legacy Forum

The programme culminates in Platres with the Mountain Games Legacy Forum, the high-level concluding scientific event of Mountain Games Cyprus 2026.

The Forum brings together the scientific messages, experiences and conclusions of the entire event and is structured around three distinct yet interconnected pillars, with the participation of distinguished scientists from Cyprus and abroad:

• Nutrition – Dr Antonia Trichopoulou: Emeritus Professor at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, President of the Hellenic Health Foundation and full member of the Academy of Athens. A distinguished physician and nutritional epidemiologist, she is internationally recognised as the “mother of the Mediterranean diet” and is considered one of the world's leading scientific authorities on the Mediterranean dietary pattern and its relationship with health, longevity and the prevention of chronic diseases.

• Exercise – Dr Giannis Koutedakis: Emeritus Professor of Exercise Physiology at the University of Thessaly, former National Rowing Coach and co-founder of the British Olympic Medical Centre. His research has focused on human performance and health, translating centuries of accumulated sporting knowledge into modern approaches for the prevention and management of chronic diseases and the improvement of citizens' lifestyles.

• Wellbeing – Stelios Kiosses: Director of the Psychology of Eating programme at the University of Oxford and Distinguished Visiting Professor at Harvard Medical School.

The Mountain Games Legacy Forum is expected to become a meeting point between the lived knowledge of mountain communities and scientific thinking, bringing together the experiences of the event into a comprehensive approach to exercise, healthy nutrition and wellbeing. At the same time, it will explore opportunities for European cooperation in the fields of health and the sustainable development of mountain areas.

Through the Forum, the MountMed Institute puts its mission into practice, transforming knowledge, partnerships and project outcomes into new opportunities for mountain communities.