From the Mountain Wilderness International General Assembly

On Saturday June 16th was held the MWI general Assembly.

Delegates from most National chapters came to the “Chalet Alpin du Tour” near Chamonix to impulse a new momentum for our movement in favor of the mountains.

Highlights:

The Executive Committee designed a “transition team” of twelve people to help define and assume a transition toward  a new structure for MWI until the next GA to be held next year in Bardonecchia.

This « transition team » includes: Jordi Quera (Cat): President, Bernard Marclay (Fr): Vice President: External Communications, Gotlind Bleschmidt (Gy): Vice president, Matthias Martin Lübke (Gy): Treasurer, Geoffroy de Schutter (Be): General Secretary, Sonya Castalleda (Sp), Antoine Pin (Fr), Gabriela Suzanne Vansan (It) (External Communications, Maren Kern (CH), Alice Friard (Fr): Secretary), Sabine Rentschler (Gy) and Karin Lankes (Gy)

Its main tasks are :

  • To develop a governance in line with the chapters expectations
  • To reinforce the exchanges across the National chapters
  • To reinforce the MWI image driving a transition toward a new, more respectful man/mountain relationship.
  • Support national chapters on International matters
  • Develop and support international projects: an expedition to Pakistan is being tossed around… stay tuned
  • To find a new president
  • Find new funding sources

The GA elected Carlo Alberto Pinelli, a founder of Mountain Wilderness International and a guarantor, Honorary President in recognition for his long personal dedication to the association, driving the Asian Desk, initiating and managing multiple projects in Mont-Blanc, Central Europe, Pakistan, Ethiopia …

Prior to the GA proper, the project to register Mont-Blanc to the UNESCO heritage was a hot topic, most chapters agreed to participate in working teams for the construction of a sustainable management plan as required to start the registration process. We can no longer wait to provide an active protection for the massif… Given the experience of the Dolomites and the injuries caused to Mont Blanc by the Skyway Monte-Bianco, Betto Pinelli for MW Italy has indicated that, for him, a potential adhesion to this initiative was conditioned by a public apology from the authorities for having approved the construction of these facilities.

At the end of the GA, the team went to the Patagonia shop in Chamonix to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Mountain Wilderness France and the 20th anniversary of its partnership with the firm.

(BM)