Italy hosted the meeting celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the European Landscape Convention, which opened for signature on October 20, 2000, in Florence. It is one of the most successful treaties signed within the Council of Europe, having been ratified by 41 of the 46 members of the international organization. The Convention regards landscape as the collective outcome of the relationship between people and places, a vital link between communities and their territories: landscape as an essential component of the human environment and an expression of their identity and diversity, history, as well as their shared cultural and natural heritage. "Landscape is more than just a natural backdrop; it's a live, true reflection of who we are and what we want to become. It is culture in action and a visible manifestation of how we live together. Preserving it means preserving fundamental rights: to beauty, health, memory, and the future", said Alessandro Giuli, Italy's Minister of Culture. Twenty-five years after its initial signing, ministers and state representatives reaffirmed the European Landscape Convention of Florence as an essential instrument for improving quality of life, addressing future environmental challenges, and strengthening human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. The conference also underlined the urgency of concrete action to combat environmental degradation and promote sustainable, inclusive landscapes. More than 30 delegations from Member States attended the celebratory meeting in Florence, including Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.