Global Youth Summit reports 2008

UIAA youth mark Olympic peace
As the flame in Beijing was extinguished on August 24, hundreds of young climbers from around the world lit torches on mountaintops to keep Olympic values alive.“The emotions and feeling that we were gathering with our friends on different peaks in the world on the same day, same hour, it was really special,” says Zdenka Mihelic from the UIAA Youth Commission.
In South Africa, Italy, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine, Slovenia and Greece young climbers celebrated "Ekecheiria", the ancient Greeks' name for the peaceful period which reigned during the Olympic Games.
"I am very happy to see so many young climbers and mountaineers being inspired by the Olympic Games and its spirit of peace and co-operation and in their own way going faster, higher and stronger," says UIAA Youth Commission President Anne Arran. For the first time more than a 1000 young mountaineers took part in a Global Youth summit event!  Download article with messages from participants and take a look at the photo gallery on the bottom of this page.

International Ski Touring Camp in Slovenia
The International Ski Touring Camp in Slovenia found a pleasant base-location in the mountain hut »Majerca« (1500 m), situated at the “Planina na Kraju” plateau in the Komna region (Beautiful Komna), Julian Alps. Most of the peaks surrounding "Majerca" are over 2000 meters in height and they are very varied in difficulty for ascent or descent. Two participants from Austria and seven Slovenians, plus the Slovene leadership team enjoyed the camp. They skied a lot and also had a course with lectures, demonstrations and a practical part about winter mountaineering, skiing, avalanches etc. Read the full report

Youth climbers learn route setting
Youth from nine countries have taken part in a climbing coaching and route setting meet in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Top French climber and Petzl team member Tony Lamiche was there to share his skills. Read the full report

International Youth Expedition "Elbrus 2008"

Eighteen young people and leaders from eight countries have ascended Europe's highest mountain as part of the Global Youth Summit.
The climbers, six women and 14 men, traveled from England, Germany, Spain, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, Russia and the Ukraine to take part in the international youth expedition "Elbrus - 2008." "During the expedition all these persons from different countries and various cultures teamed up so quickly into such a cheerful and sportive youth group, that climbing together was great pleasure and a lot of fun," says Alexander Zaidler, the expedition leader.  Read the full report

Mount Olympus 2008

In the morning of the 24th of August, an international youth group of 35 participants were on the summit of Mount Olympus, the highest and mythological mountain in Greece, to send a message of peace and friendship to all youth mountaineering people in the world. Read the full report

Mountain Adventure camp Slovenia

The Youth Commission of the Alpine Association of Slovenia organised the first International UIAA GYS camp “Mountain Adventure camp” from 27th July to 3rd August 2008 at the Mountaineering education centre Bavšica  "Our big family included participants from Great Britain, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Russia; and the Slovene leadership team. The participants had different backgrounds, some of them were beginners, some very experienced. The programme was adjusted to the participants, their abilities and weather conditions. Read the full report  (If you have problems downloading big documents, you can read this small version without pictures). You can also download the article written by participant Declan Stock  for the “Summit” magazine. 

Youth events 2008

Click on one of the pictures below to start a slide show with pictures from a climbing coaching and route setting meet in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and an international youth expedition to Mount Elbrus.