The Minister of Tourism, Massimo Garavaglia, met on February 14th with the General President of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) Vincenzo Torti. At the center of the interview, the activities and initiatives that the CAI will put in place in the face of the new important resources, 5 million euros, made available by the ministry. It was the first time that a minister of the Republic visited the headquarters of the Italian Alpine Club.
During the meeting, Minister Garavaglia emphasised to President Torti ‘his appreciation for CAI’s activities, which are considered strategic for the relaunch of mountain tourism, both hiking and mountaineering‘. He also emphasised ‘the common concern for the mountains as a heritage to be defended also in terms of sustainability, with not sporadic but structural interventions, and with a long-term vision‘. He also acknowledged “the great value of the CAI Sentiero Italia, which with its 7200 kilometres crosses the Italian mountains, from Santa Teresa Gallura in Sardinia to Muggia in the province of Trieste, and which will be included in the new national tourism portal”. In conclusion, he praised “the commitment and voluntary work of the members of the association in the field of hiking and training”.
Among the topics of the meeting, there were also the activities implemented by the Italian Alpine Club to relaunch mountain tourism and in line with the constitutional reform that included the protection of the environment, biodiversity and ecosystems among the fundamental principles of the Constitution (amendments to art. 9 and art. 41). Another dimension of the Sodality’s interventions is education on the environment and sustainability in schools, with training courses for teachers, looking at the new generations and young people to be introduced to the mountains. Data were also provided on the CAI’s activities in 2021, which, still in the midst of the pandemic and in compliance with anti-Covid regulations, organised 11,127 initiatives (including hiking and mountain biking, climbing, mountaineering and ski mountaineering ascents, snowshoeing, caving and canyoning outings) and 485 training courses for accompanying persons and instructors who, on a voluntary basis, lead excursions and ascents.
“In thanking Minister Garavaglia for this meeting, the first of a Minister of the Republic at the Headquarters of the Italian Alpine Club in its 159 years of history”, said General President Torti “I would also like to stress the commonality of intent in the use of the resources made available by MITUR, an important economic-financial commitment that we will use, in coherence with our vision of mountainity and in particular for the activities related to safety in the mountains, with the free activation for all the visitors of the Terre alte of the app GeoResQ, realized by the National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps of CAI”.
The meeting with the press was attended by the general vice-presidents Lorella Franceschini and Francesco Carrer, as well as Alessandro Molinu, vice-president of the CAI’s National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps, and Martino Peterlongo, president of the National College of Italian Alpine Guides. Doing the honours, the director of CAI, Andreina Maggiore, who thanked the minister also on behalf of all the employees of the Headquarters.
