The first International Seed Library Forum will be held in Tucson, Arizona May 3-6, 2015, to further coalesce efforts by public libraries, non-profits, universities, and food banks to increase the quality, accessibility, and diversity of community seed resources. This gathering will also celebrate the 35th anniversary of the first National Heirloom Seed Conference in Saint Louis, which followed closely on the tails of the first forum on community seed access, Seed Banks Serving People, held in Tucson. Lastly and importantly, this meeting will also assist all those involved in seed libraries to collectively address recent regulatory challenges to their operations in five states.

SELC's own staff attorney, Neil Thapar, will be present and sharing about our Save Seed Sharing campaign alongside other seed sharing activists and advocates.

For more information and to RSVP, visit http://www.eventbrite.com/e/international-seed-library-forum-tickets-15877866125.

Here is a rough breakdown of the events and activities to be held at the forum:

• Sunday May 3 will include afternoon field trips and open houses, followed by a event at the Loft Cinema. This evening event will include a seed swap and the showing of the film Seeds of Time, with a special question and answer session with its featured seed activist, Cary Fowler.
• Monday the 4th and Tuesday the 5th daytime sessions will be limited to 140 participants at the Joel Valdez Downtown Library, and involve plenary presentations, panel discussions and demonstrations. Monday evening will feature a literary “seed reading” by poet Scott Chaskey and nature writer Gary Nabhan.
• Tuesday’s daytime session will finish with a collective statement from participants about the future of seed libraries, followed by a celebratory event at Mercado de San Agustin, involving a tamale benefit in defense of native maize diversity, Latin music and the release of the new Edible Baja Arizona magazine featuring seed libraries.
• Wednesday will involve farm visits and/or more technical seed trainings, to be announced.