On Saturday, January 17, the seminar “AQUA VITAE – The Transition of Winter Sports” was held with strong attendance and great interest. The event was organised by UNIMONT – the Alpine Centre of the University of Milan – as part of the Aqua Vitae project, funded by the Lombardy Region under the Olimpiadi della Cultura call and led by the University of Milan.
The meeting, held at the Chalet La Baita del Sole in Prato Valentino (the ski resort of Teglio, SO), represented an important opportunity for discussion on the future of winter sports and mountain areas, in light of climate change and the new environmental, economic, and social challenges affecting snow and skiing.
Following the institutional greetings by Ivan Filippini, Mayor of Teglio; Prof. Anna Giorgi, Head of the UNIMONT Centre of the University of Milan; and Silvia Biagi of Palazzo Besta, who also presented the exhibition “Vette”, the seminar moved into its core sessions with a talk by snow scientist Claudio Artoni (University of Milan Bicocca). His contribution provided a scientific and practical interpretation of the ongoing transformations and their implications for today’s and tomorrow’s skiers.
The round tables fostered a lively and engaging dialogue, comparing Italian and international experiences on new models for enjoying mountain environments and skiing, pathways for the reconversion of ski resorts, and adaptation strategies capable of combining innovation, sustainability, and environmental protection.
This second part featured contributions from Walter Bozzi (Homeland – Montespluga), Mario Rovello (Mountain Guide from Courmayeur), Raffaella Balzarini (Project Manager, TranStat project), and Simone Bertini (ALPE Teglio and CAI Teglio), moderated by Stefano Sala (UNIMONT – University of Milan).
The international perspective was further enriched by the contribution of Anna Gonzalez from the Kilian Jornet Foundation, focusing on the European Week of Winter Sports and the Green Trail Concept.
