SIBE is thrilled to welcome you to Firenze!

One of the world’s great cultural capitals, Firenze is a city where art, creativity, curiosity, and ideas have shaped history for centuries: from the poets of the humanist tradition to its Renaissance art and rich scientific heritage. Firenze offers a truly inspiring setting for a conference dedicated to understanding change, diversity, and evolution.

The conference is structured in five symposia covering the Society’s main areas of interest: phylogeography and conservation/population genomics, human evolution, animal behaviour, microbial evolution, and evolutionary ecology. The scientific sessions will take place in Novoli, while the poster session, social and outreach events will be held in the historic city center, making it easy to combine science with a stroll through Firenze’s iconic streets. For full details, visit our Venues page.

In addition to the symposia, the programme will feature a dedicated poster session, a pre-conference crash course on genomics techniques, and an outreach event with the science-theatre show “Botanica Queer”. There will be also plenty of opportunities to connect and relax: a welcome aperitivo, and a social dinner at the Botanical Garden, a rare chance to enjoy an evening in a cradle of biodiversity in the heart of the city, as well as many other moments designed to foster networking, discussion, and new collaborations. Check the event page for more details!

As usual, the conference will feature numerous awards and travel grants to recognize outstanding contributions and support participation from early-career researchers.

Important note: September is peak season in Firenze, and there are several other conferences in the Novoli area at the same time. We strongly recommend booking accommodation early to secure your stay.

We look forward to welcoming you to Firenze for SIBE 2026: a week of exciting science, stimulating discussions, and the chance to build new connections and new ideas, in the city where ideas have always mattered.

The SIBE 2026 Organising Committee