From October 29 to 31, 2024, in Zagreb, the National and University Library of Zagreb hosted as part of the regular activities of the CENL (Conference of European National Librarians), the EEDI (Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) networking group held its second annual meeting which was organized exceptionally well by our colleague, Dunja Maria Gabriel. This year’s meeting, titled Learning from One Another, focused on exchanging experiences in both theoretical and practical aspects of work.

The event commenced on October 29 at the National and University Library in Zagreb with a welcoming address by the library’s director Dr. Ivanka Stričević, followed by a tour of the library building. The introductory session was led by the group’s chair, Elizabeth Kirwan, Head of the Special Photographic Collection at the National Library of Ireland. Participants included representatives from national libraries across England, Scotland, France, Serbia, North Macedonia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Bulgaria, and Vatican City.The agenda was extensive, covering all pertinent topics related to the group’s ongoing work. Discussions included an analysis of previously implemented activities and agreements on priority areas for the future, such as:  Advancing education and training initiatives; enhancing communication strategies; exploring new opportunities for visibility and engagement; strategic planning for the upcoming period; building a network of relevant collaborators, including educational and cultural institutions; participation in project work funded by European grants.

Monique Alberts, a European grants advisor at the National Library of the Netherlands, attended the meeting as an expert to guide the group’s participation in future funding opportunities. Additionally, the location for the next annual meeting in 2025 was discussed and decided that the National Library of the Netherlands will host the third annual meeting in 2025 in The Hague. The agenda concluded with the transition of chairmanship from the current chair to Rosemarie van der Veen-Oei, Head of the Research Department at the National Library of the Netherlands, who has served as the Deputy Chair of the group for the past year, for the remainder of the three-year term of the EEDI networking group. Each nation represented is dedicated to continuing our journey in improving Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion across Europe for both employees working in libraries and the public using our services. We hope to share more updates over the coming year detailing our activities that will help us to achieve this.