AlpWeek 2024

Common Good in the Alps

The topic of the Common Good came up several times during the conference and was discussed from various perspectives, one aspect of which was the economy, the topic of income and the glaring differences. I find the topic very interesting, also with regard to the aspect of the first presentation - unlimited growth. It is exciting to think about alternative instruments and practices.

Resolving conflicts and working together instead of against each other 

The first workshop I attended was on the topic of ‘Us versus Them’ - conflicts and differences of interest and how to deal with them. One approach here was active listening and responding to the statements of others, which we demonstrated in a practical exercise and discussed before and after about differences in communication and impact.

BeyondSnow workshop

I also took part in the ‘Alps without snow’ workshop, which was organised in connection with the BeyondSnow Alpine Space project. In the event organised by Allianz in den Alpen and the WWF, we dealt with the topic of snow shortage due to climate change and its socio-economic and ecological effects at the local level. Glaciologist Georg Kaser presented the phenomenon of glacier melt and its effects. This complex topic was discussed in an amusing way with various stakeholder representatives in the form of a role-play.

Overall, I also particularly liked the motto of the conference, ‘Alps in our hands’, because it shows that everyone contributes - with every decision that is made. The question is what these decisions and contributions look like.