Program Chair’s Welcome

Dear Participants,

As the program chair, it is my pleasure, on behalf of the Program Committee, the FIRST Board of Directors, and the conference organizers, to welcome you to wonderful Copenhagen/København for the 37th Annual FIRST Conference.

According to the legend, København was founded by Bishop Absalon in 1167, but archaeological excavations – most recently in connection with the construction of the new metro circle line – have revealed that the city was already a vibrant marketplace and fisher town in the Viking Age, a century and a half before Bishop Absalon. And the land has been inhabited since the Stone Age, artefact finds suggest.

The theme of this year’s conference, Fortresses of the Future: Building Bridges, Not Walls, inspired by Denmark’s geography, the South-Scandinavian archipelago with 1,419 islands, of which 581 are named and 77 are inhabited (the last resident on Hirsholm died in January 2025). The country is connected with a web of more than 2.500 larger bridges and tunnels, plus numerous smaller ones.

The theme also emphasises the purpose of the conference: building protection against attacks through cooperation and the exchange of information. Please use the opportunity to meet and (re)connect with friends, both new and old. Remember to introduce new connections to old friends and vice versa at the welcome reception and other social events, birds of a feather (BOF) and special interest group (SIG) side-meetings, the breaks between sessions, or just go out together in the evenings.

I hope the Program Committee and I have succeeded in setting up a program that matches the diversity of FIRST and with the right balance for different-sized organizations, regional diversity, and the breadth of technical as well as organization/policy related subjects. We had around three times the number of submissions as the speaking slots available. Thus, the Program Committee and I had a tough time selecting the presentations to accept for the three tracks. I’m sorry that we had to disappoint so many of you by turning down your interesting and well-prepared submissions. My warm thanks to all who submitted presentations. I wish we could have accommodated more.

Now, it is up to you, as the participant, to make the final selection when you compose your personal agenda, which might not be easy. It has been an honour and a pleasure to serve with the 2025’s very active program committee, consisting of 29 FIRST community experts from all inhabited continents of the world. Also, I want to thank the very supportive events team, whose knowledge is fundamental to the maturity and growth of the Annual Conference year after year. Back to the theme, the conference graphic is a small but very iconic bridge over one of the canals, running out into Copenhagen harbour. Be sure that you visit “the Circle Bridge” as well as you should see one of the largest bridges, the Oresund Connection to Sweden, not far from the conference venue and visible from the plane when you fly into CPH Airport (or out, depending on the direction of the wind).

Also, I recommend you take the opportunity to explore and enjoy Copenhagen with your new and returning friends – the old ships and houses at Nyhavn, the narrow streets in the old town, the beautiful squares and green areas, the old yellow navy barracks in Nyboder near the 17th century fortress Kastellet, the royal palace Amalienborg, the amusement park Tivoli gardens, dating back to 1843 and situated in the city centre next to the Central Railway Station. Also, you can visit many good restaurants, cosy cafés and bars, and lots of other interesting and entertaining places – look it all up ahead and make your pick according to your personal taste, as I hope you do with the program. I’m looking forward to seeing you all in Copenhagen very soon!

Henrik Larsen
FIRSTCON 2025 Program Chair