1.2 - INTERREG IIIB Alpine Space Programme

Aim
The Alemann Walser population is a minority which has set-
tled in the most elevated Alpine areas, surviving under ex-
treme natural conditions by means of avoiding any waste of
resources. But traditional practice today means poor competitiveness;
it is even judged worthless, no longer used by
professionals and not passed on to new generations. With
the dying out of the old generation, knowledge and skills will
be lost, though their high potential for future sustainability is
acknowledged.
Starting from the awareness that a globalised world on the
one hand represents a potential threat for minorities and on
the other hand eases the access to resources which facilitate
the daily life, the project intends to offer to the Walser postindustrialised
society the rediscovered and actualised values
of its inherent cultural patrimony.
The project bottom-up approach has the objective of strengthening
the inner bonds of the Walser society and maintaining
and creating a post-industrial Walser identity.
Activities
The project focuses on:
Intensified communication: International Walser web page
realisation; Walser identity and a strategy of basics communication
definition
Strengthening of the mutual exchange, internally and with
other minorities
Heritage enhancement: Creation of a data base of historical
data (archives) and traditional knowledge and skills (museums,
photos, videos)
Scientific elaboration of documentation based on these
data
Maintaining daily life habits: Studies on Walser language
and its preservation; Didactic tools for local dialects
Literature prices, teaching in schools and popular plays
Landscape presentation: Local pilot actions and projects
Bottom-up process for the definition of a landscape portrait
and forecasts for its future development
WALSER ALPS 3.2
Walser Alps - Modernity and tradition in the Heart of Europe
The Walser settlements – area as a laboratory to experience a post-industrial sustainable
Alpine society in a bottom-up approach.
Future conference to renew this process at the transnational
level in order to develop a spatial planning tool.
Presenting and Enhancing identity
“Museum of the Future”: Various activities as interviews,
videos, bottom-up discussions in order to discover and
strengthen the inner bonds of Walser society
Creation of a competence centre “Walser Institut” in Brig
(CH)
Involving Youth
Enabling an exchange of experience with other minorities
Outcomes and results
The main outputs and results are subdivided by the main
fields of interest:
Communication
Promotion activities to promote the Walser issues and the
project, fitting in the communication concept
Web site and communication concept
Heritage
Data will be collected and digitalised
Data will be accessible to interested public
Daily life
5 pilot activites realised
Studies and tools for preserving language will be
completed
Landscape
4 “images of space” pilot analysis
Manual how to model Alpine valleys
Conference on the future activities
Identity
Competence centre “Walser Institut” in Brig and the competence
network will be established
Modern structure for the IVfW with tools and manuals etc.
will be set up
Check list for the identification of Walser will be prepared
Investigations in three places will be carried out
Local films and exhibitions will be prepared
Youth project will be realised.
I
I
F
I
I
A
CH
CH
CH
FL
CH
Lead partner
Project partner
Lead partner
Regione Autonoma Valle
d’Aosta
Other partners
CM del Lys
Commune de Vallorcine
Provincia del VCO
Provincia di Vercelli
VWV
Comune di Bosco Gurin
WVG
VJSG
Gemeinde Triesenberg
IVfW
Contact person
Flaminia Montanari
Tel +39 0165 272648
Fax +39 0165 272646
f.montanari@regione.vda.it
Duration
07.2003 – 07.2007
Total budget in EUR
1.161.973
ERDF in EUR
399.853
67
environment and cultural heritage