Surrounded by the towering peaks of the Mont Blanc massif, representatives from the Alpine Towns of the Year gathered in Chamonix, France, for the second General Assembly of 2025 from 18 to 20 September 2025.
The Alpine Town of the Year Association brings together Alpine towns that have been awarded the title due to their commitment to sustainable development and the implementation of the Alpine Convention. One of their recent contributions to the Alpine Convention was a series of webinars on the implementation of the Alpine Conference's Multi-Annual Work Programme together with Alliance in the Alps, the network of municipalities.
At the General Assembly, in addition to the general order of business, delegates also heard interventions connected to the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation by local experts about the monitoring and hazard protection work being done on the glaciers towering above the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc valley. Other presentations focused on youth engagement for the Alps with insights from a group of young participants from Cuneo (Italy) on the importance of mountains as laboratories for sustainability as well as participants of the Youth Parliament to the Alpine Convention (YPAC) from Sonthofen (Germany) about the current YPAC resolutions on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The Alpine Convention was represented during the meeting of the Alpine Towns by Vera Bornemann, who shared opportunities for engagement in the Alpine Convention and current communication tools with the delegates.
Guided tours in and above Chamonix rounded off the General Assembly, giving participants the chance to explore their surroundings and learn about sustainability in the commune and surrounding area.
The journey to Chamonix was also a chance for the Permanent Secretariat to touch base with the Alpine Convention’s Chamonix Infopoint, based in the stunning post-glacial landscape of Argentière.
Last but not least, the visit was also used to discuss the ongoing preparations for the upcoming session of the Youth Parliament to the Alpine Convention which will take place in Chamonix in March 2026.
