In wonderful weather and the company of distinguished guests

The 5th day of the Alpine Convention passed in wonderful weather and the company of distinguished guests.

The main purpose of the Alpine Convention Day in Mojstrana on Saturday, May 24, 2014, was to draw attention to the sensitive alpine

area, to present the importance of the Alpine Convention and the peculiarities of alpine valleys, the importance of preserving nature and cultural

heritage, and to encourage visitors to visit alpine valleys in an environmentally friendly way. This day also marked the

European Day of Parks.

For visitors, the organizers prepared recreational cycling in the heart of the mountains, from Zg. Gorij and Kranjska Gora to

Mojstrana and from Mojstrana to Radovna and Krma, as well as a hike to Pocarjeva domačija with a rich internationally colored

accompanying program at the Slovenian Mountaineering Museum (SPM). A total of 35

cyclists and 80 hikers participated in the event, along with over 100 other visitors from all over Slovenia, who were enthusiastic about the beauties,

diverse events, organization, and excellent atmosphere. The cycling and the event were also attended by the Secretary General of the Alpine Convention Markus Reiterer and his deputy Simona Vrevc, State Secretary Bojan Babič and Jana Lenarčič from the international affairs service of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Spatial Planning, Mayor of the Municipality of Kranjska Gora Jure Žerjav, and Acting Director of the Triglav National Park Public Institute Peter Skoberne.

In his address to the gathered audience in front of the SPM, Markus Reiterer said: "With today's cycling, hiking, and the use of public

transport, we have shown in the best way what sustainable management of our beautiful environment means.

Thank you to all the organizers who, time and again, for the fifth time in a row, with the organization of this unique Alpine Convention Day, which is not known elsewhere, bring the Alpine Convention to the people and among the people." Acting Director of TNP Skoberne added that "experiencing nature is what keeps us upright in times of crisis and shows us the right path."

As part of the events in front of the SPM in Mojstrana, children made alpine flowers, built a bivouac, explored

Zlatorog's kingdom, identified plants, and tried climbing on the climbing tower. Visitors were presented with a brass band and folklore groups from three countries (local folklore group KUD Jaka Rabič, folklore group from the Natural Park Julijsko predgorje from Resia (I), and folklore group from the Austrian National Park Nockberge) and the Triglavski zvonovi choir. The Head of the PZS Trail Cycling Commission Jože Rovan presented the emerging Slovenian Trail Cycling Route, which will run throughout Slovenia, while the Mountain Rescuers of the GRS Mojstrana Association staged a rescue operation. The SPM also awarded prizes to the best in the literary competition "My greatest joy is in the mountains" on the theme of mountain huts, as this year we celebrate the 120th anniversary of the construction of Orožnova koča, the first hut of the Slovenian Mountaineering Association. Young creators wrote poems and stories and prepared illustrations about mountain huts, and the products will be exhibited at the SPM. During the cultural program in the afternoon, young people from the Grammar School and Secondary School Rudolf Maister (GSŠRM) from Kamnik presented the youth parliament of the Alpine Convention, whose primary goal is to unite young people from different alpine regions who, with united forces, try to find solutions for the problems faced by alpine towns. Next year, the youth parliament of the Alpine Convention will be hosted by GSŠRM, Kamnik.

The event, organized by the Mountaineering Association Dovje-Mojstrana, Municipality of Kranjska Gora, LTO Kranjska Gora, Triglav National Park, Alpine Association of Slovenia, Slovenian Mountaineering Museum, and Upper Sava Museum Jesenice in cooperation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Spatial Planning and the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention, and held for the fifth time in Slovenia, is the ONLY Alpine Convention Day in the area of the alpine countries and an example of exemplary cooperation between various stakeholders in the Alps with the local environment.

During the event, visitors in front of the Slovenian Mountaineering Museum at the stands were presented by: CIPRA Slovenia, Triglav National Park, Alpine Association of Slovenia, paper flower maker Francka Murn, Logarska dolina Landscape Park, Julijsko predgorje Natural Park, Krka National Park, Nockberge National Park, Škocjan Caves Park, Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention, Židana marela store, Kamnik Tourist Association, Mojstrana Tourist Association, Bohinj Tourism, Narava publishing house, Ad pirum institute, and WWF Dinaric Arc Parcs.

On this year's Alpine Convention Day, we also marked the European Day of Parks. On May 24, 1909, the first nine European national parks were established in Sweden, so the European Federation of Nature and National Parks EUROPARC declared this day as the European Day of Parks with the aim of improving public awareness of the goals of protected areas. With the Alpine Convention Day in Mojstrana, we drew attention to the importance of preserving nature and cultural heritage and encouraged visitors to visit alpine valleys in an environmentally friendly way.

The Alpine Convention is the world's first international treaty concerning a mountain region. It was concluded by the alpine arc countries: Austria, France, Italy, Principality of Monaco, Liechtenstein, Germany, Slovenia, and Switzerland, as well as the European Union. It means joint responsibility and a joint strategy for coexistence between nature conservation and the management of its resources. The goal of the convention's initiators is to protect the Alps as a living and economic space, cultural, linguistic, and landscape diversity. The Alps, with their biodiversity, water and forest resources, natural, cultural, and economic environment, are home to nearly 14 million people and an attractive tourist destination for approximately 120 million visitors annually. The Alpine Convention strives for sustainable tourism and sustainable development of the Alps with all their characteristics. It also strives to reduce traffic loads, therefore promoting more nature-friendly visits to the Alps using public transport and with special traffic arrangements in alpine valleys. The realization of the convention's efforts in practice is certainly also the Alpine Convention Day event.