The Alpine Week 2012 was held from 5 to 8 September in the Valposchiavo in Switzerland. The theme chosen for this year was “Renewable Alps”. For the first time in the history of the Alpine convention, the Alpine conference, which brings together the Ministers of the signatory states, took place during the Alpine Week.

The Alpine Week is one of the most important events for sustainable development within the Alpine range, bringing together French, Italian, Swiss, German, Austrian, Slovene and Liechtensteiner protagonists of all the major Alpine research networks (ISCAR ), districts (Alliance in the Alps ), NGOs (CIPRA ), protected areas (ALPARC ) and alpine clubs (CAA ). 

 At the centre of the week: the Alps and their protagonists. The aim: to inject new energy into existing initiatives for sustainable development in the Alps and encourage new ones. The idea of having the Alpine protagonists and representatives of the signatory states to the Alpine convention together under one roof proved a fruitful one. This meeting, has made it possible to encourage the emergence of new solutions and dynamics in mountain partnerships.

During the numerous thematic sessions held in parallel (about 30 in all), the participants at the Alpine Week were able to discover a wide range of sustainable initiatives in the Alps and explore themes as varied as the young, schooling, governance, carbon neutrality, mobility, architecture, light pollution, landscape, agriculture, businesses, tourism, immigration and the brown bear. 

A great success, therefore, thanks also to the committed involvement of the Valposchiavo region which, with its numerous assets, succeeded in creating an auspicious and exemplary framework for the theme of renewable Alps.