The Alpine Town of the Year General Assembly and the opening of a new location for the Infopoint of the Alpine Convention recently took place in the picturesque Italian town Morbegno.
Awarded “Alpine Town of the Year” in 2019 and a hotspot for ‘slow tourism’, the town provided the ideal setting for the Alpine Town of the Year General Assembly where representatives of the member towns, the jury and the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention gathered from 16 to 18 April to exchange experiences and reaffirm their shared commitment to Alpine cooperation. The assembly included greetings of Morbegno’s Mayor Patrizio Del Nero and Deputy Mayor Anna Gusmeroli highlighting the town’s engagement both as Alpine Town of the Year and as host of one of the Alpine Convention’s Infopoints.
Throughout the meeting, the Permanent Secretariat emphasised the essential role that the association plays in implementing the Convention’s principles at a local level and bringing the perspective of the towns into its processes. In their Annual Reportannual report (DE, IT, FR, SL), the Alpine Towns of the Year highlight their activities to disseminate the 10th Report on the State of the Alps and the importance of Quality of Life in the Alps. For nearly 30 years, the association has been supporting municipalities in applying the principles of the Alpine Convention. Through projects, knowledge exchange and active participation at the Convention’s meetings, the network demonstrates how local action can drive regional transformation. These efforts are both valuable and impactful and they play a vital role in advancing the principles of the Alpine Convention.
Another key highlight of the meeting was the inauguration of the new location of Morbegno’s Infopoint in the main square of the historic centre of the town. This opening represents a renewed commitment to promote and implement the Alpine Convention’s values.
The event included a guided tour in the Palazzo Malacrida and an excursion to Val di Mello, highlighting the deep connection between Alpine Towns and their surrounding natural landscape, and underlining the Alpine Convention’s core values of sustainable development, environmental protection and cultural heritage preservation. The event also coincided with the Sano Festival dedicated to wellbeing and quality of life – two topics closely linked to Alpine Convention’s priorities.
