Over 120 participants gathered information, exchanged ideas and agreed that we must act together, now. The three-day AlpWeek, held from 5 to 7 September, began with presentations by Kirsten Koop from the University of Grenoble and Armin Bernhard from South Tyrol/I. Koop spoke about civil society initiatives in the French Alpine region, while Bernhard related how the citizens’ cooperative in Obervinschgau/I is committed to ecologically and economically sustainable development. In the afternoon, twelve workshops were held on such subjects as climate change and migration, energy efficiency and water integration in cities, as well as sustainable tourism and mountain agriculture.

Debates and excursions

On the topic of “Photovoltaics in the Landscape”, Raimund Rodewald from the Swiss Landscape Conservation Foundation made an emotional plea for untouched landscapes. He sees them as endangered by an urgent federal law for the expansion of solar power plants and had a heated discussion with experts on the podium.

Young adults from various Alpine countries presented four projects and studies, and the CIPRA Youth Advisory Council (CYC), in collaboration with “Climate Fresk”, made climate change in the region artistically visible. Two excursions during the AlpWeek took visitors to high altitudes – to the Simplon Pass and the Aletsch Glacier. Others dealt with viticulture and biodiversity in the Pfyn-Fringes Nature Park in Salgesch and with traditional Valais cultural landscapes in Brig-Glis.

Exchange and cooperation

In the end, everyone agreed on one point: we must act now, seek exchanges, cooperate and work together, even if opinions differ. This is the only way to find solutions that will make change in the Alps possible.

AlpWeek was jointly organised by: Alliance in the Alps, CIPRA Switzerland, CIPRA International, Club Arc Alpin, Interreg Alpine Space Programme, ISCAR Alpine Research, Swiss Alpine Club, Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention, Alpine Town of the Year Association, Forum Landscape, Alps, Parks.

Further information: www.alpweek.org