The winners of the 2022 edition of the “Reading Mountains Prize” organised by the Alpine Convention Infopoint in Domodossola visited the Permanent Secretariat’s branch office in Bolzano/Bozen (Italy).
On 21 April, the 17 pupils, accompanied by a group of teachers and Infopoint representatives, travelled to the Secretariat’s offices in Bolzano/Bozen, which are hosted by EURAC Research.
They learnt about the Alpine Convention and took part in a workshop on quality of life in the Alps and climate change, the main themes of the current Slovenian Presidency. During the workshop, the young participants carried out different activities that simulated the work done by the Thematic Working Bodies of the Convention. The Domodossola Infopoint “Reading Mountains Prize” is a literary competition open to pupils from various schools in the Verbano Cusio Ossola region. To participate, pupils had to submit a short story on the theme of mountains, which were then evaluated by a jury.
Wolfger Mayrhofer, Deputy Secretary General, congratulated the young guests on their work. He emphasised that “the younger generations, with their innovative ideas, are the engines of change. Their energy is needed to help preserve our Alpine region, ensuring that it can continue to offer its citizens and visitors a high quality of life, despite the challenges posed by climate change and other crises”. He highlighted the importance of recognising the rich cultural and linguistic heritage which characterises the Alps, and is celebrated every year through the Alpine Convention’s Reading Mountains Festival.