The Institute Days of the Uri Institute Cultures of the Alps, which took place for the third time this year, began with a workshop of the "Alpine Futures Literacy" working group under the direction of Dr. Jens Badura. The focus was on the further development of the UNESCO concept of "Futures Literacy" for the Alpine region. Futures Literacy describes the ability to consciously use the power of imagination to bring non-existent future scenarios into the present. A future literate person has the skills to imagine several possible futures and can therefore view the present in a new light. The workshop provided a platform for intensive discussions and exchanges on current and planned projects. This underlines the Institute's pioneering role in the development of innovative approaches to shaping sustainable futures for the Alpine region.
The second day of the Institute Days offered a wide range of presentations that dealt with the changes and historical developments in the Alpine region, but also drew attention to the urgency of future and more sustainable strategies for action. The presentation by Dr. Rahel Wunderli and Chiara Zgraggen on the "Uri in Transition" dialog project provided an exciting introduction. This innovative project creates a platform for the exchange between science and the population about the current changes in the canton of Uri. The speakers reported on their experiences and findings from this special form of scientific research and communication. The project sheds light on how far-reaching developments in areas such as tourism and the economy are affecting the everyday lives and lifestyles of the people of Uri and examines the opportunities and challenges these changes entail and how they are perceived and used by the inhabitants.
After a short break, Dr. Sebastian De Pretto gave a lecture on "Dams and displacement processes in the Alpine region after 1880". De Pretto presented his SNF Ambizione project, which examines the socio-economic and ecological consequences of hydropower development in the Alps. The project, which looks at Switzerland, Italy and Slovenia in the period from 1880 to 1970, raises important questions about the participation and exclusion of peripheral societies. De Pretto emphasized the need for a transnational approach in the social history of reservoir construction. He examines how the construction of reservoirs in previously undeveloped, peripheral areas was negotiated socio-politically. Displacement and resettlement practices as well as the power structures in the decision-making processes are analyzed. The project makes a significant contribution to the social, environmental and transnational history of the Alps. It sheds light on the scope for action of Alpine communities vis-à-vis central state and federalist practices and provides historical insights for current environmental policy debates on a sustainable and socially acceptable energy future. In addition, after the lunch break, Sara Šifrar Krajnik presented her research on the "History of hydropower in Slovenia until the Second World War", which is part of the same overall project. Šifrar Krajnik showed how the nationwide electrification campaign and the growing realization of the need for electricity for the economy, tourism and the population led to the construction of the first regional hydropower plant on the Završnica stream.
The highlight of the afternoon was Prof. Dr. Boris Previšić's impressive presentation "Intact is not intact! - the last Swiss myth beyond the biodiversity and climate catastrophe". With scientific precision, he showed how climate change is the main driver of biodiversity loss and how little sense it makes when arguments are played off against each other in this discussion. The presentation not only highlighted the problem very clearly, but also provided well-founded, forward-looking solutions with the "Solar Express touchstone". The presentation and the subsequent discussion were attended by members of the Institute as well as the Institute's Board of Trustees. After a short break, the intensive day ended with an exciting and playful workshop on "Untranslatable Topographies" by Dr. Veronika Studer-Kovacs.
The third day began with Dr. Manuela Di Giulio's very vivid presentation "Biodiversity with a focus on Switzerland". Once again, it was made very clear how important it is not to view the topic of biodiversity in isolation from planetary boundaries and how urgent it is to rethink and act immediately with regard to the extinction of species. The morning ended with a walk through the Reuss Delta, which offered numerous opportunities for peer-to-peer exchange and underlined the importance of interdisciplinary dialog for understanding and shaping Alpine problems and future prospects.
Published on 15. July 2024
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