On 23 May 2026, we had a face‑to‑face meeting with the ECHO Eastern Baltic partners (University of Tartu, Vilnius University, and University of Latvia) in Vilnius as a satellite event of the POPGEN2026 conference. The meeting also brought together external experts in linguistics and archaeology, fostering interdisciplinary exchange beyond the core project team.
The meeting is a step toward developing an interdisciplinary research network in the Eastern Baltic for archaeogenetics, archaeology, anthropology, and linguistics. We mapped existing resources and research interests across institutions, creating a shared overview of expertise in the region. The meeting also included an introduction to the Centre of Excellence “Estonian Roots” (https://sisu.ut.ee/eestijuured/en/) and the Latvian Center of Excellence “The Beginnings of Latvia”, highlighting ongoing initiatives and opportunities for collaboration.
We discussed future joint activities, including potential research and study formats, coordination mechanisms, and the development of a web‑based platform to share information, resources, and upcoming events. The meeting laid the groundwork for sustained regional collaboration and will contribute to the preparation of a broader Roundtable initiative to be held in Tartu in early autumn 2026.
