Tolmin awarded Alpine town of the year 2016

In western Slovenia, between the rivers Soča and Tolminka, at the junction of the Soča valley, Baška grapa and Idrija valley, lies Tolmin. It was awarded the Alpine town of the year 2016 for its efforts in the field of sustainable development. The town convinced the jury with its successful strengthening of the Alpine identity of the local population and town in the context of sustainability and innovation.

Alpine Town 2016 is a prestigious international title, earned by Tolmin, a city in the Emerald land, where life flows in colour through western Slovenia. This municipality, which lies at the Slovenian-Italian border, in the Soča valley and in the Triglav National Park, is a popular destination for active retreats, water activities and festivals. Tolmin stood out from the competition with its successful strengthening of the Alpine identity of the local population and town in a context of sustainability and innovation, repopulating the indigenous Soča trout, and the inclusion of the area in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of the Julian Alps. As an Alpine Town 2016 Tolmin became a member of the Alpine Associations which seek the nature-friendly and socially-responsible development of the Alpine region.

Alpine towns which fulfil their economic, environmental and social interests in accordance with the principles of the Alpine Convention have been competing for the title AlpineTown of the Year since 1997. The prestigious title represents efforts in sustainable development and encouragement to ensure a green future. Those towns which are awarded the title are connected through the Alpine Town Association, which currently has 15 towns from Austria, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Slovenia. After Maribor in 2000 and Idrija in 2011, Tolmin has earned the status of the third Slovenian “Alpine Town of the Year”.

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