3e Biennale Europèenne de la Montagne

L’eau en montagne - 17 & 18 septembre 2009 - Plombières-les-Bains
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Yves DUBIEF
 
President of the Chamber
of Commerce and Industry
of the Vosges
 
 
 
 
 
For innovative and competitive mountain regions
 
The 2nd European Biennial Event of Highland Regions, which took place in October 2007 in La Bresse (Vosges – France), brought together around 350 mountain representatives from 10 European countries, on the topic of « Accessibility in mountain regions ».
 
It was the perfect occasion to remind authorities that mountain territories represent almost 40% of the surface and about 15% of the population of the European Union, and that, despite these facts, they are still not taken enough into consideration by national and European policies.
 
Aware of that, mountain key economic players decided to federate and to combine their strengths in interregional and multisectorial networks, to contribute to the sustainable economic development of European mountain regions. There followed the creation of the Club des CCI de Montagne, of the Mountain Scientific Committee, of the European Network of Mountain Key Economic Players, of the partnership of Mountain Training Centres, and so on.
 
The European Biennial Event of Highland Regions comes and sanctions the actions implemented by these networks, with the support of our partners, but also of other organisations sharing the same goals as us, like Euromontana, the AEM (European Association of Mountain Elected representatives) or the Mountain Institute, to quote only them.
 
This year, the 3rd European Biennial Event of Highland Regions will take place on September 17th and 18th, in the spa town of Plombières-les-Bains. The beauty, the history and the activity of the spa town will provide the ideal frame to deal with the topic of this year’s edition: “water in mountains”.
 
More than ever, it is a vital issue for our mountain territories, the water reservoirs of Europe, as climate changes forecast dramatic disruptions which will either offer higher risks or better opportunities for our territories.
 
Thanks to round tables and conferences welcoming top speakers like Erik ORSENNA or Jean-François DONZIER, this convention will allow us in the best way possible to debate, think upon and elaborate strategies, without any pre-defined agenda and with the opportunity to deal with all the questions related to the matter of water in mountains.
Open to you only, mountain professionals and officials, the 3rd European Biennial Event of Highland Regions aims at giving you concrete answers and opportunities for networking, partly thanks to exhibitions which will lead you to discover our actions and our partners. Regarding that matter, the Carpathian Mountains will be the guest of honour of the event and will be represented by an official delegation.
 
Therefore it is with great pleasure that I am looking forward to welcoming you in Plombières-les-Bains (Vosges), on September 17th and 18th 2009, to set up together during the 3rd European Biennial Event of Highland Regions the future of our European mountains.
 
 
All together to ensure competitiveness, innovation and sustainable economic development in European mountain territories.
 
 
The President,
Yves DUBIEF