Wienerbruck in Lower Austria was the theatre of international cooperation on 10-13 May. The Alpine Convention Infopoints, Austrian political representatives, and representatives of the Permanent Secretariat met in the Ötscher-Tormäuer nature park for a multi-day event.
The team of the nature park, which is also an Alpine Convention Infopoint, hosted and organised the encounter on the theme “People at the Heart of Sustainable Change – Shaping the Future of the Alpine Region Together” which was attended by the Infopoints of Koroška, Mojstrana, Tolmin, and Villach.
During the first day, the teams of the Infopoints exchanged knowledge on best practices, common issues and future projects ideas. Subsequently, a day-long workshop was organised in the framework of the Human Factor project, training stakeholders on how to take the human dimension into account when promoting sustainability transitions in Alpine territories. On another day, the Austrian Alpine Club (ÖAV) gave a presentation on the “Alpine Convention easily explained” project (in German), which aims to popularise the Alpine Convention, explain how it works and demonstrate its impact.
In one of the highlights of the visit, the participants had the chance to interact with representatives of the Ötscher-Tormäuer municipalities, the Lower Austria region and the federal level during a political evening. Each of the politicians emphasised the importance of preserving and promoting regional and sustainable practices in the Alps. Their points were echoed in the speech of the Secretary General of the Alpine Convention, Alenka Smerkolj, who thanked the Infopoints for their work with communities at a local level.
Between the workshops and roundtables, the topics discussed were illustrated by site visits: a stunning hike to the nearby canyon of Ötschergräben, and a visit to a nearby organic farm in Kobichl.
“The Infopoints are vital partners for the Alpine Convention. In their communities — from Austria to Slovenia, from France to Italy and Germany — they translate our international vision into local action and make the future of the Alps concrete and personal.” – Alenka Smerkolj
