Last meeting #DOLOMITES2040: Marmolada

The local participation project, which started with the meeting of 20 May in Cimolais (PN), was launched by the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation to help in drawing up the Overall Management Strategy due for presentation to UNESCO in 2016.

The Foundation has scheduled 11 meetings in May and June in different parts of the Dolomites World Heritage Site.

The final meeting will be held on 19 June on Mount Marmolada, at an altitude of nearly 3,000 metres, at the Serauta Refuge, from 12:00 to 17:00. Those attending will gather at the departure station of the Marmolada cable lift at Malga Ciapela, Rocca Pietore (BL).

These meetings adopt a participatory technique, known as World Café, already used for the Dolomites UNESCO LabFest #HAYMAKING event. The participants are split up into discussion groups and invited to share their ideas. Guided by moderators, they discuss the four macro-themes relating to the management of the Dolomites World Heritage Site: tourism, socio-economic development, active conservation and relationship-building.

The challenge is to construct a shared image of how we would like life to be in the Dolomites of 2040. This serves a strategic purpose, making it possible to implement some choices right now for the governance of the future. The proposals set out and discussed will feed into the process of drawing up the Overall Management Strategy for the property.

#DOLOMITES2040 has already visited Cimolais (PN), Lozzo di Cadore, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Selva di Cadore (BL), Vigo di Fassa (TN), Badia (BZ), Montagne (TN), Nova Levante (BZ), Tonadico (TN) and Pedavena (BL).
These first meetings have gathered input from representatives of civil society, environmental and mountaineering associations, business people and local, provincial and regional administrators.
Over 300 people have put forward their proposals and ideas in the four discussion groups moderated by experts from the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation and EURAC, the European Academy of Bolzano, a Foundation’s Supporter.

Discussions were held on managing tourist flows, sustainable mobility, environmental protection, developing the local economy and the culture of hospitality, as well as the problem of depopulation, how to incentivise young people, broadband coverage and other local facilities and services.

When all 11 meetings have been held, the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation will draw up a report summarising this consultative phase in which the local input gathered will make a contribution to drawing up the Overall Management Strategy for the Dolomites World Heritage Site.

For more information, see the programme, available here.

Photo: Luciani