Please add text, links and pictures:
Picture gallery of the TOPtoTOP Award Expedition, if you want to add some pictures email Mohit to get the password.
Picture gallery from the start of the TOPtoTOP Award Expedition in Maloja
Final Report TOPtoTOP Climate Solution Award 2010 in Switzerland
This event under the lead of Presence Switzerland was possible thanks to the two main sponors SGS und Victorinox, as well as swissnex, Mammut, Jungfraubahnen, Bergbahnen Engadin, BKW, Zermatter Bergbahnen, Camping Maloja, Biketec (Flyer), Glacier Express, Bielersee Schiffahrtsgesellschaft, Grindelwaldsports, Grindelwald Tourismus, Hochalpine Forschungsstation Jungfraujoch, Tropenhaus Frutigen, STIMBO, Speedrunner and many volunteers.
Dates:
31. Juli – 20. August 2010
Participants:
Winners of the “TOPtoTOP Student Climate Solution Contest” from 1 Chile, 1 Australia, 1 Japan, 1 Singapore, 1 India and 2 China plus 1 reporter from Chinese TV ICS plus 5 members of the Schwörer family, Gabi Bolliger as a main volunteer plus 1-5 supporters depending on the activity; participants listed below:
# name nation email school / university*
1 Tiffany Käsermann Japan tiffany_kaesermann@hotmail.com, University of Queensland, Australia
2 Mohit Agarwal India ag.mohit@gmail.com Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
3 Macarena Sandrock Chile mca.sand@gmail.com Universidad Austral de Chile (UACH)
4 Joqui Hocking Australia jacqui@hockingstudios.com high school Melburne
5 Gao Pan China gpokok@126.com, Sichuan University
6 Christopher Ngoi Singapore christophercn@hotmail.com, Nanyang Technological University
7 Wang Nuan China wang-nuan@hotmail.com Shanghai, Jiaotong University
8 Zofie Feytons ICS TV China zofie.feytons@gmail.com, RITS University for Audiovisual arts
Concept and goals:
Each winner works together in a team with another student and takes part in the “Swiss TOPtoTOP Tour” through Switzerland.
On the tour they will collect the most exciting examples and efforts to protect the climate and study the impacts of global warming during their climbs in the Swiss Alps.
Each participant has done 3 daily reports on http://www.expedition.toptotop.org/ and each team did a PowerPoint presentation about their tour and findings. The students from Chile, India and China got a Victorinox watch for their best reports and presentations. All students got a voucher for Victorinox products and the “TOPtoTOP Award” diploma signed by PRS and TOPtoTOP.
The DVD about the event will be produced by Jacqui Hocking from Australia till mid October. Together with their presentations they created great tools to be “ambassadors” for a better future and to present the most innovative solutions to protect our climate.
Program:
First Week: Saturday 31.07. – Sunday, 08.08.2010
We met the goals we set:
• All arrivedl between the 29.07.2010 and the 05.08.2010, during the TOPtoTOP 10th anniversary camp, where the participants had the opportunity to meet more TOPtoTOP members and their families
• Acclimatization to the alpine environment
• Team building
Program: for details check http://www.expedition.toptotop.org/
• Reunion on the campground Maloja in the Engadin Valley..
• Outfitting members with MAMMUT sport equipment
• acclimatization with sailing, cycling and climbing activities
• Impacts of climate change: Morteratsch Glacier, protection of Pontesina village cause of permafrost melting etc.
• Solutions: hydro electricity etc.
Second and Third Week: Monday 09.08. – Friday, 20.08.2010
We met the goals we set:
• build a strong network trough the adventure
• collect innovative climate solutions
• produce a documentary film of good hopes
Program: for details check http://www.expedition.toptotop.org/
Monday, 09.08.2010: St. Moritz – Zermatt: GLACIER EXPRESS• Activity: preparation and safety to climb a high mountain, overnight in Zermatt
• Topic: Swiss public transportation
• Overnight in Zermatt
Tuesday, 10.08.2010: Zermatt: CLIMB OVER 4000 M: BREITHORN• Activity: cable car up to Klein Matterhorn, climbing mount Breithorn 4200 m, overnight in Zermatt
• Topic: study inside a glacier, permafrost on Matterhorn
Wednesday, 11.08.2010: Zermatt-Grindelwald: A VILLAGE WITHOUT CARS
• Activity: cable car up to Furi and Via Ferata in Gorner Gorge plus sail park, visit of electic car factory Imboden, public transport to Grindelwald
• Topic: electric factory Imboden
•
Thursday, 12.08.2010: Grindelwald: CLIMATE TRAIL
• Activity: Climate trail with iPhone support to Bäregg
• Topic: tourism and climate change
Friday, 13.08.2010: Grindelwald – Jungfraujoch: TOP OF EUROPE• Activity: Unique railway to Top of Europe, scientific and technical tour, overnight in Mönchsjoch Hütte
• Topic: visit of limate laboratory in high altitude, technical tor of TOP of Europe
Saturday, 14.08.2010: Jungfraujoch – Grindelwald: UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE
• Activity: glacier trek on the longest glacier in the Alps, because of bad weather we did a crevasse rescue exercise on 3800 m. Each participant was in a crevasse. In the afternoon we did 100 m abseiling and visiting the gorge behind Grindelwald.
• Topics: rescue and team bilding
Sunday, 15.08.2010: Grindelwald: BIGGEST INDOOR SAIL PARK
• Activity: time to work on presentation, in the afternoon fun in the biggest Indoor Sail Park in Europe
• Topics: team building
Monday, 16.08.2010: Grindelwald – Frutigen – Bern – Biel: THE SWISS GREEN HOUSE
• Activity: visiting Tropenhaus in Frutigen and Bundeshaus
• Topics: recycling the warm water from the Lötschberg tunnel, direct democraty
Thusday, 17.08.2010: Biel: SOLAR + WIND ENERGY
• Activity: wind + solar energy, scientific presentation
• Topics:
o Solar plant (14-15h), hike (15-16h) and windfarm (16-17h)
o Climate and vegetation dynamics by Christoph Schwörer, Institute of Plant SIence & Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research, University of Bern
Wednesday, 18.08.2010: Biel: WORLDS BIGGEST SOLAR CATAMARAN
Activity: sailing on the Bielersee sailing boats and the biggest solar catamaran worldwide (MobiCat), public presentation as a exercise for the Award Celebration
• Topic: in the morning: coordination of documentary film, production of presentations for awards giving
Thursday, 19.08.2010: Biel – Luzern: ELECTRIC MOBILITY REVOLUTION
• Activity: from Biel by electric bike (Flyers) to Huttwil to electric bike factory “Bike tech” and from there by train to Luzern
• Main topic: electric bikes
• Other Topic: Swiss Cheese factory, Schaukäserei Affoltern
Friday, 20.08.2010: Luzern – Brunnen – Ibach: CLIMATE SOLUTION AWARD• Activity: Sailing from Luzern 09.12 to Brunnen 11.09 and further by public transport to Victorinox in Ibach for lunch at 11.45h and visiting Victorinox 13.30 – 14.30h
• Topic: Award giving at Victorinox in Ibach plus presentation, 14.30 h – 16 h
• Event ends at 16 h in Ibach, final dinner and overnight in Jakobstal at Sabine’s parents
Media:
On the expedition we made a press release and give interviews to local- (i.e. Engadiner Post), national- (i.e. Beobachter) and international media (i.e. HAARETZ daily, Israel).
The participants communicated and will communicate the success of the event to their media back home.
ICS TV from China joined us for the event and produce of the 80 h of footage 10 documentaries with 20 Million visitors each.
Feedbacks:
The feedbacks were all great from all sides! Here some examples:
“… Everyone in my school is now very interested on my 3-week trip to Switzerland, So I plan to give a presentation in my school the day after tomorrow and I will invite them to taste the chocolate and chess I brought back. I would like to talk about our stories and my feelings…”Debbie, China
“Thank you very much for such an amazing experience! I will never forget it for the rest of my life!!” Tiffany, Japan
“I just arrived safely in Singapore! Thanks so much for this amazing experience!” Chris, Singapore
„Es freut mich natürlich auch, dass die Tour in der Schweiz so erfolgreich war. Wir konnten gut spüren, dass alle Teilnehmer sehr beeindruckt waren, bleibende Erinnerungen mitnehmen und positive Botschafter geworden sind. Auch unser Team war vom Besuch in Ibach tief beeindruckt.” Carl Elsener, Victorinox
„Juste un petit message pour te dire que j’ai eu beaucoup de plaisir à prendre part à la journée du “Climate Solution Award” dans ses locaux de Victorinox à Ibach. J’ai été très impressionnée par le travail consciencieux et de qualité livré par les 7 participants à ces 3 semaines intensives que vous avez organisées pour eux en Suisse. Leurs présentations finales nous ont permis de découvrir et ressentir à quel point leur séjour en Suisse a été marquant pour chacun d’eux, et cela à divers niveaux… » Fabienne Bavaud, PRS
Contact:
For any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the main coordinator Dario Schwörer: dario@toptotop.org