While conurbations in the Alps continue to grow unchecked, disadvantaged regions are increasingly sidelined. But rather than add to the general lamenting, the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA) is inviting regional players to pass on their knowledge and allow others to benefit from their experience.

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What is the secret behind the success of Polo Poschiavo, which has turned a remote alpine village into a centre for Information and Communication Technology (ICT)? How can provisions for elementary requirements in mountain areas be maintained and developed further? And what can we learn from successful projects on traffic and visitor management in protected areas? CIPRA is aiming to provide answers to these and other topical questions at its international workshop series entitled “Disseminating knowledge – networking people”.

From October 2006 until the end of 2007 the programme will include twelve workshops held at different venues in each of the alpine countries. Simultaneous interpreting will be available at most of the workshops, which are to be staged together with partner institutions as part of CIPRA’s Future in the Alps Project.

Regional players attending the workshops will have an opportunity to learn from the positive experiences of others and transfer that experience to their own fields, thereby ensuring that they do not have to keep reinventing the wheel. The programme offers a mix of specialist contributions from speakers from different countries and excursions to successful examples on site. In discussions and group sessions, participants will have the possibility of a direct exchange of experience and an opportunity to establish new contacts.

The topics range from nature conservation to mobility, the exchange of know-how with mountain regions of eastern Europe, and social issues. They are the result of an intensive knowledge search carried out as part of the Future in the Alps Project. Experts cut through a jungle of information to filter out the data best suited to address the major challenges in the Alps. All this information is featured on the Project’s homepage as successful examples, lists of key publications and summary reports. Selected results from the research are to be presented at the workshops.

The workshop series successfully got underway in Bad Hindelang (D) on 16 – 17 October, with 40 participants.

The International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA) is a non-governmental umbrella organisation with national representatives in the Alpine countries; it represents over 100 associations and organisations from seven Alpine states. It works for sustainable development in the Alps and strives to preserve the natural and cultural legacy as well as the regional diversity, and to find solutions to cross-border issues in the Alpine region.

Workshop Dates

• 16.–17.10.06 Naturpark Allgäu / Tannheimertal – Eine Chance für die Region. Hindelang (D). Partner: CIPRA D. Languages: de
• 30.11.–1.12.06 Von der geographischen Peripherie zu virtuellem Zentrum: ICT in einer rural-alpinen Region. Poschiavo (CH). Partner: Polo Poschiavo. Languages: de, it
• 22.–23.1.07 Knowledge transfer towards mountain regions in eastern Europe. Budapest (Hungary). Partners: Lebensministerium (A), ÖGUT (A), REC (Budapest). Languages: en
• 25.–26.1.07 Regional planning, management and networking. Salzburg (A). Partners: LEADER+, Regionalmanagement Austria, Österr. Inst. f. Erwachsenenbildung, CIPRA A. Languages: de, en
• 28.2.–1.3.07 The Future of the Provision for Elementary Requirements in Mountain Areas. Risks and Opportunities. Villach (A). Partners: Kärntner Landesregierung, Interreg-Projekt PUSEMOR, CIPRA A. Languages: de, fr, it, sl, en
• 29.–30.3.07 Der Sektor Wald in der Regionalpolitik. Brig-Glis (CH). Partners: Fortbildung Wald und Landschaft. Languages: de, fr
• 10.–11.5.07 Verkehrs- und Besuchermanagement in Schutzgebieten. Gozd Martuljek (SI). Partners: CIPRA SI. Languages: sl, de, it
• May 07 Welche Partizipation brauchen Natur- und Landschaftsprojekte – Erfahrungen der letzten Jahrzehnte. Switzerland. Partner: SANU. Languages: de, fr
• 4.–5.6.07 Comment construire des scènes de débat public dans les territoires périurbains montagnards ? Autrans/F. Partners: CIPRA F, AFRAT. Languages: fr, it
• 13.–15.6.07 Management of protected areas. Klagenfurt (A). Partners: Univ. Klagenfurt, CIPRA A. Languages: de, it, en
• 09/07 Partenariats publics-privés : quels services à la population en zone de montagne ? Alpes de Hte Provence/F. Partners: CIPRA F, AREREF. Languages: fr, it
• Autumn 07 Italy. Topic, place and date to be defined. Partner: CIPRA I.

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