It’s this time of the year when we are not only wrapping and unwrapping Christmas presents, but we also take a moment to reflect on the highlights of the past year. As we embrace the festive spirit, let’s embark on a journey through the Alpine Space Programme’s adventures in 2023!
Starting the year in high gear! In January and February, the Alpine Space team was out and about attending kick-off meetings for projects selected in the first call for classic projects, such as TranStat, AlpTextyles, BeyondSnow, ECOLE, and Support Eusalp.
In March, the selection of two additional small-scale projects set the stage for a reflection on the programme’s aspirations for the future calls. April brought an internal seminar with the Alpine Space contact poins, followed by two workshops in May, where we delved into the Alpine Space funding opportunities and synergies with EUSALP at a strategic level. The insights gained will undoubtedly sprinkle into our future project calls.
In July, we celebrated two REGIOSTARS finalists! Outshining 228 applications, the Alpine Space projects Circular 4.0 and Smart Altitude emerged as finalists in the DG REGIO’s annual award competition.
As the autumn leaves fell in October, our second call for classic projects for the period 2021-2027 closed, revealing 77 promising project proposals. Early 2024, we’ll know which projects will make it to step 2 of the application procedure.
The film Green Mountain Pioneers was screened for the first time during the COP28 in December. Starring among others the Interreg Alpine Space project ADAPTNOW, the film details the strategies and solutions that aim to combat climate change while promoting the resilience of these fragile ecosystems. Other public screening and debates will follow in 2024.
In Salzburg, some changes also happened in the Alpine Space team. While Jana said goodbye to embark on new adventures with Interreg Central Europe, we also welcomed Alexis, Matteo and Denise, each of whom brings a unique spark to our collaborative constellation. Concerning the Alpine Space contact points, Catarina replaced for Liechtenstein Henrik, who will chair our Programme Committee in 2024. We would like to take this opportunity to warmly thank Michaela for her support and cooperation during the 2023 German Presidency.
Knowing that youth participation is key to successful cooperation in the Alpine area, we also continues to host interns and can only express our gratitude to Julien and Carlo for their contribution in 2023. At the same time, we keep promoting the Youth Ambassadors Initiative among our projects, nurturing the spirit of collaboration with the EUSALP Youth Council.
What a year, right?! Next week our team will be resting and celebrating the holidays with their loved ones. May yours be filled with warmth, laughter and the joy of reflection, and see you for more adventures in 2024!
PS: Our offices will reopen on 3 January 2024.
