WHY
BE PART OF THE MEETING
Why the International Canyoning Meeting Exists
The International Canyoning Meeting was born from a simple but powerful idea: bringing professionals together to grow together.
In its early years, the meeting was created as an opportunity for members of the IFMGA/UIAGM Canyoning Commission to exchange experiences, discuss technical issues, and improve professional standards. Very quickly, however, it became clear that the challenges faced by canyoning professionals are not limited by national borders or organizational structures.
For this reason, the meeting was intentionally opened to professionals from other countries and organizations who hold a recognized professional role within their own systems.
Our goal is not to compare organizations. Our goal is to connect people.
This meeting is much more than a technical conference. It is a place where professionals meet, listen to one another, share ideas, and build lasting relationships. It is an opportunity to establish collaborations, create new friendships, and develop a common vision for the future of our profession.
Every participant has something valuable to contribute.
Everyone is encouraged to bring their own experience, propose discussion topics, present ideas, ask questions, and share different perspectives. Whether the subject concerns technical progression, safety, rescue techniques, client management, professional standards, equipment, environmental issues, or the future development of canyoning, every contribution enriches the entire community.
Throughout the years, every meeting has generated new ideas, inspired improvements, and strengthened the professional skills of those who took part. The real value of the meeting lies in the open exchange of knowledge between people who share the same passion and the same responsibility, even if they work in different countries and under different organizations.
This is why we meet every year.
Not to defend positions.
Not to compete.
But to build something together.
The 2026 edition has an even greater significance. Georgia is one of the most exciting emerging destinations in the international canyoning community. Its spectacular landscapes, growing professional network, and commitment to developing canyoning make it the ideal place to welcome professionals from around the world.
Meeting in Georgia means discovering a rapidly evolving reality, exchanging knowledge with local professionals, and contributing to the growth of an international network based on cooperation, mutual respect, and shared expertise.
Join us.
Bring your experience.
Share your ideas.
Listen to others.
Help shape the future of professional canyoning—together.
A Message from the Chair of the IFMGA/UIAGM International Canyoning Commission
As Chair of the IFMGA/UIAGM International Canyoning Commission, I can only express my strongest support for this meeting and for the vision that inspired its creation many years ago within our Commission.
Today we are preparing for the fourth edition, and every year this event becomes more valuable, more inspiring, and more meaningful.
Over time, the hesitation that some professionals initially felt about participating has disappeared. People no longer come here worried about being judged or evaluated. Instead, they come to meet colleagues, exchange experiences, and learn from one another in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
That is exactly what this meeting is about.
Every year I have the privilege of meeting new guides, new instructors, and new professionals from around the world. Every conversation reminds me that our greatest teacher is the environment itself. Nature constantly challenges us, pushes us to adapt, and encourages us to continue learning throughout our professional lives.
This is why these meetings matter.
Each of us sees the canyon through different eyes. We all have different backgrounds, different training systems, different traditions, different languages, and different experiences. Yet we all work in the same environment and face the same responsibilities.
There is enormous value in understanding how others approach the same challenges.
The environment evolves.
Our profession evolves.
And we must evolve together.
For this reason, I strongly encourage every professional guide to participate—not only those within the IFMGA/UIAGM community, but especially those working in other national organizations and professional systems.
The International Canyoning Meeting is not about proving who is the best.
It is about listening.
It is about sharing.
It is about building trust.
It is about discovering new ideas that can improve the safety, professionalism, and future of canyoning worldwide.
I firmly believe that canyoning professionals, regardless of the organization they belong to, are part of one international community. We may have different qualifications, different traditions, and different ways of working, but we all share the same rivers, the same canyons, the same responsibility toward our clients, and the same passion for this extraordinary environment.
That is why collaboration is so important.
By learning from one another and embracing different perspectives, we become stronger—not only as individuals, but as a global profession.
I warmly invite you to join us at this year’s International Canyoning Meeting in Georgia.
Bring your experience.
Bring your ideas.
Bring your curiosity.
Together, we can continue building an international community based on respect, cooperation, and a shared commitment to excellence.
I look forward to welcoming you in Georgia.
Marco Heltai
Chair
IFMGA/UIAGM International Canyoning Commission