Media releases

A voyage of discovery along the Via Alpina

Jan 20, 2022

On with your hiking boots, get set, go! To mark the 20th anniversary of the Via Alpina, the long-distance hiking trail across the Alps, CIPRA International is awarding eight hiking scholarships with the support of the VAUDE Sport Albrecht von Dewitz Foundation. Applications will be accepted up until 6 February.

Image caption:

The Via Alpina: for 20 years, a unifying symbol for sustainable development in the Alpine region. (c) Matthieu Chambaud - Slow Rando

Hiking through the Alps and reporting on experiences, regional specialities and the magic of the long-distance trail: to mark its 20^th anniversary, CIPRA International is looking for eight people (aged 18+) from all Alpine countries who would like to embark on a voyage of discovery along the Via Alpina long-distance hiking trail. The scholarship holders will hike a section of the revised red route of the Via Alpina between May and October 2022. The VAUDE Sport Albrecht von Dewitz Foundation is supporting each person with the sum 1,500 euros. Using social media, blogs or film, they will tell stories about Alpine biodiversity, environmentally friendly travel and the challenges faced on the mountain. More information and application forms can be found at www.cipra.org/via-alpina-explorer-2022.

The Via Alpina – an implementation project of the Alpine Convention for two decades now – runs like a common thread through all eight Alpine countries, from Trieste/I to Monaco. A hike along the Via Alpina makes Alpine-wide challenges such as climate change and pressure of use tangible: but it also shows solutions such as sustainable building culture, slow tourism and innovative projects. And it is always accompanied by the incredible beauty and diversity of nature, culture and languages in the Alps. “In the future we will focus on the red trail that crosses all eight Alpine countries”, explains project manager Jakob Dietachmair. In order to implement both further development and modernisation, CIPRA International is launching a crowdfunding campaign at the beginning of February to ensure that the Via Alpina will remain safe and accessible in the decades to come.

Further information:
Jakob Dietachmair, deputy director, +423 237 53 06, [email protected]
Isabella Helmschrott, project assistant, +423 237 53 14, [email protected]
Veronika Hribernik, communication / project assistant, +423 237 53 01, [email protected]