Join the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region Forum on November 14 & 15 in Brdo Pri Kranj!
REGISTRATION OPEN UNTIL 6 NOVEMBER HERE
This year, the 9th Annual Forum of EUSALP invites you to embark on new discoveries and competitions in the land of the Kholo wheel, a symbol of cooperation within the Alpine arc.
During this two-day event, our goal is not only to bring people together but also to discuss the future of the Alps. This is crucial for future generations as we navigate the delicate balance between traditional alpine craftsmanship, modern know-how, accessibility, mobility, and the protection of resources that matter to the 80 million inhabitants of the region.
Thematics under the Slovene Presidency of EUSALP :
Circular economy Quality of life for young people Water Management
Thursday, 14 November 2024
10:00 – 11:00 (Splendens Hall) Youth Vision for Alpine Region
The Alpine region is facing different challenges due to climate and social change.
Hence, the active involvement of young people is pivotal for safeguarding a
sustainable future of the Alpine region.
The inhabitants of the Alpine region are most directly affected by the climate
change. The extreme events are driving the need to increase knowledge and
skills on how to deal with those challenges as effectively as possible. It is of
great importance that the young generation is consulted and skilled in order
to safeguard the quality of life in the Alpine area. Moreover, due to its specific
geographical feature, the Alpine area is also facing social challenges, especially
in terms of the emigration of young people from mountain valleys and cities.
The panel will be an opportunity for exchange among the speakers about the
mechanisms needed to empower the young people of the Alpine region to
respond properly to future challenges, especially related to the climate change
and social change.
Speakers:
Silvia BUZZETTI, Programme Assistant, Directorate General for Regional and Urban
Policy, DG REGIO, European Commission
Branislav RAUTER, Principal, Rudolf Maister Secondary School Kamnik, Slovenia
Lionel CROISSANT, Associate Expert, Institut des Hautes Études de l’Éducation et de
la Formation, and EUSALP Action group 3 (Labour market, education and training)
representative, France
Rafaela RABIČ, EUSALP Youth Council representative
Pauline TREISSAC, European Affairs Officer, Europe and International Department,
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region, France
Moderator: Dino Subašić, Slovenian journalist and presenter
Language: English
11:15 – 12:30 (Splendens Hall) Pitch your Project competition and awarding ceremony – side event
Pitch Your Project is a competition for young people between 16 and 29 years
old. As experts of their living space, the Alpine Region, they are invited to submit
projects ideas for a sustainable development of the Alpine Region.
Introduction speech:
Liliane LUCCHESI, Region Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Regional Councillor in charge of
international solidarity, international youth mobility and sustainable development
goals
Moderator: Natael Fautrat, Youth empowerment consultant in the Alpine region
Language: English
12:30 – 14:00 (the Lobby) Lunch
13:00 – 14:00 (Glass Hall) Welcome gathering for high level representatives
14:00 – 14:30 (Grandis Hall) Official Opening of the 9th EUSALP Annual Forum
Speakers:
Tanja FAJON, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs,
Slovenia
Elisa FERREIRA, European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms (video message)
Moderators: Igor E. Bergant and Bernarda Žarn, Slovenian journalists and TV presenters
Language: SI, FR, DE, IT, EN
14:30 – 15:15 (Grandis Hall) High-level plenary panel: Alpine region – competitive, circular and
smart in global world?
The Alpine macro-region is one of the most prosperous and competitive regions
in Europe. With its unique geographic and natural features, it is often quoted as
water tower of Europe and a biodiversity sanctuary. Almost a decade after the establishment
of EUSALP, the region’s main challenge remains – balancing its wealth
and development with nature conservation and adopting innovative approaches to
strengthen the area in a sustainable way, while also reducing disparities between
various regions and within them. Macro-regional strategies have proved to be a successful
tool for cooperation and learning from one another on challenges that go
beyond national borders. As Europe undergoes green and digital transition and also
faces increasing global competition and geopolitical tensions, the Alpine Region can
serve as a development model, in particular in its ability to carefully balance the
economic progress with the environmental objectives.
The panel will be an opportunity for the exchange between ministers and other
high-level speakers about the mechanisms and the role of EUSALP in helping the
Alpine Region to stay ahead of the world’s most advanced economies by being competitive,
circular and smart.
Speakers:
Tanja FAJON, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Slovenia
Dominique HASLER, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education and Sport, Liechtenstein
Anton MATTLE, Governor of Tyrol, Austria
Fabrice PANNEKOUCKE, President of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, France
Eric BEIßWENGER, State Minister for European and International Affairs, Bavaria, Germany
Luciano Emilio CAVERI, Regional Minister for European Affairs, Valle d’Aosta Autonomous
Region, Italy
Norman GOBBI, State Councillor of the Canton of Ticino, Switzerland
Moderator: Igor E. Bergant, Slovenian journalist and TV news presenter
Language: SI, FR, DE, IT, EN
15:15 – 15:30 (Grandis Hall) Handover Ceremony of the EUSALP Presidency to Austria and Liechtenstein
Tanja FAJON, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Slovenia
Dominique HASLER, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education and Sport, Liechtenstein
Anton MATTLE, Governor of Tyrol, Austria
Peter KAISER, Governor of Carinthia, Austria
Language: SI, FR, DE, IT, EN
15:30 – 16:00 (the Lobby) Break
15:30 – 16:00 (Glass Hall) Press Conference
Tanja FAJON, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs,
Slovenia
Dominique HASLER, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education and Sport, Liechtenstein
Anton MATTLE, Governor of Tyrol, Austria
Language: SI, DE
16:00 – 18:00 (Brdo Castle) General Assembly of High Representatives responsible for the EUSALP
(by invitation only)
16:00 – 17:30 (Grandis Hall) Climate resilient water management in the Alpine Region
Alpine Region is experiencing a profound negative impact of climate change. Increased
frequency and intensity of extreme weather related events (floods, erosion,
landslides, drought …) has now not only affected livelihoods in the region, but has
brought about the necessity to rethink our management of one of the most precious
resources: water. This has certainly been the case in Slovenia in 2023, when devastating
torrential sediment processes and flash floods have prompted a public debate
on how to approach water management in the new era of increasingly rapid climate
change.
Speakers:
Lidija GLOBEVNIK, Director-General, Water Directorate, Ministry for Natural Resources
and Spatial Planning, Slovenia
Blaž MOZETIČ, Director of Planning Office, Slovenian Water Agency, Slovenia
Florian RUDOLF-MIKLAU, Head of Unit, Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions
and Water Management, Austria
Blaž LIPOVŠEK, Youth Parliament of Sava Commission
Marco LIPIZER, Referent for the River Contract, Department of Environmental Protection,
Energy and Sustainable Development of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomus Region, Italy
Moderator: Aleš Bizjak, Ministry of natural resources and spatial planning
Language: English
16:00 – 18:00 (Splendens Hall) EUSALP Energy Conference “Energy Transition in the Economy” & EUSALP Energy Awarding Ceremony – side event
Decision-makers, entrepreneurs, scientists and implementers discuss how to increase
energy efficiency and the use of renewable energies in Europe’s economy and
outline the role the EUSALP in promoting a green economy. The event will conclude
with the EUSALP Energy Awarding session, which was organized under the motto
“Energy Transition in SME’s” and with a guided exhibition tour dedicated the topic of
energy saving and climate protection.
Presentation of EUSALP Action Group 9: Ulrich Santa, Director, Energy Agency South Tyrol
– CasaClima, EUSALP Action Group 9 Co-Leader
Speakers:
Panel 1: Policy frameworks
Tine SELJAK, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana,
Slovenia
Vlasta KRMELJ, Director, Energy and Climate Agency of Podravje, Slovenia
Manuel AITA, EUSALP Youth Council member
Panel 2: Support Schemes and Programmes to Support the Energy Transition of the
Economy
Marija ČEBULAR ZAJEC, Undersecretary, Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport,
Slovenia
Matteo MAZZOLINI, Director, Energy Agency Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy
Julia ZOTTER, Zotter Chocolate, Austria
Presentation of the winners and handing-over of trophies
Guided tour through the exhibition “Climate and I”
Moderators: Etienne Vienot, Energy and Environment Agency Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes
and Maren Meyer, Energy Agency South Tyrol - CasaClima
Language: English
18:00 – 20:30 (The Lobby) Networking dinner with concert
OTHER EVENTS
14 November - 9:30 – 11:30 and 16:00 – 18:00 (Heros Hall) Green Infrastructure goes Business Award: Coaching Workshop (by invitation only)
The Green Infrastructure Goes Business Award supports innovative ideas, products
and services for a green economy and promotes sustainable development in
the area of the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region. The third edition of the international
competition is focusing particularly on solutions with benefits for “wise
water management”.
Language: English
Friday, 15 November 2024
09:30 – 11:00 (Grandis Hall) Could Alpine region become a circular economy model region?
The European Union has been a global leader in promoting the transition to a circular
economy and sustainable production and consumption. Despite the progress
made over the past years, the overall transition to a circular economy remains slow
due to different challenges (i.e. economic and regulatory barriers, consumer behaviour,
limited infrastructure etc.).
The panel will be an opportunity for the exchange between the speakers about the
mechanisms and the role of EUSALP in helping the Alpine Region to become a model
region for transition from linear to circular economy.
Speakers:
Introduction speech: Jernej PINTAR, Director, Technology Park Ljubljana, Slovenia
Slobodan ŠEŠUM, Director-General, Directorate for Economic and Public Diplomacy,
Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Slovenia
Roland MAYER, Secretary General, Conference of Cantonal Governments, Switzerland
Robin ODDON, Project manager, Techtera, France
Nina MEGLIČ, Cluster manager at Strategic Research and Innovation Partnership Networks
for the Transition to a Circular Economy, Slovenia
Denis JAHIĆ, General Manager and Board Member, AquafilSLO, Slovenia
Jan-Diederich LÜKEN, Professor of Business Economics, Faculty of Chemical Technology
and Economics, Bavaria, Germany
Moderator: Igor E. Bergant, Slovenian journalist and national TV news presenter
Language: English
11:00 – 11:15 (The Lobby) Break
11:15 – 12:15 (Grandis Hall) Awarding ceremony for Green Infrastructure goes Business Award
This year's EUSALP Annual Forum was among other events dedicated to three initatives : Green infrastructures Goes Business Award, Energy Award and Pitch Your Project competition 2024. The panel will be an opportunity to present the lission and the aim of the intitatives and the introduction of the winning ideas in 2024.
Speakers:
Miro KRISTAN, The North Primorska (Goriška) Development Region, Slovenia
Maren MEYER, Energy Agency South Tyrol – CasaClima, Italy
Natael FAUTRAT, Youth empowerment consultant in the Alpine region
Moderator : Bernarda Žarn, journalist and TV presenter
Language: English
12:15 – 12:30 (Grandis Hall) Closing of the 9th EUSALP Annual Forum
Moderators: Igor E. Bergant and Bernarda Žarn, Slovenian journalists and TV presenters
Language: English
