EUROMONTANA EVENTS

 

 

 VI European Mountain Convention,

"How to generate added value from Europe's mountains?"

Brig, Switzerland, 8-10 October 2008

 

 

 Seminar on Depopulated and Mountain Areas - Positive Experiences of Active Marketing,

Brussels, Belgium, 29 May 2008

 

 

 Euromontana Round Table discussion on the implications of the Territorial Cohesion Green paper for mountain and similar areas,

Brussels, Belgium, 19 February 2008

 

 Euromontana Olympus Lecture "The European Territorial Agenda - The way ahead",

Brussels, Belgium, 25 October 2007

 

 

 Towards integrated mountain area development and its recognition in the Common Agricultural Policy-

Shaping the new European Space
Romania, Neamt county, city of Piatra Neamt, 4-5 October 2007

 

 

 Meeting of the Euromontana Board with Scottish members in Inverness

13 July 2007

 

Cohesion for growth-mountains as natural ingredients for Europe's competitivity
Fifth European Mountain Convention
Portugal, Chavez. 14-16 September 2006

Euromountains.net
Project INTERREG IIIC

The European Charter for Mountain Quality Food Products - official launching in the European Parliament
Brussels, Belgium. 7 December 2005

Reaping the Benefits of Europe's Precious Places. Policies releasing the potential of mountain and remote rural areas
Aviemore, Scotland. 10-11 November 2005

Integrated Rural Development in the Mountain Areas of Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans
Liptovský Mikulás, Slovakia. 24-26 October 2005

Sustainable Mountain Communities- Need for Specific Policies on Sustainable Services?
Palencia, Spain. 14-17 June 2005

Unlocking the Mountains - A new approach of rural development for Europe's mountains
Fourth European Mountain Convention, Rodez, France. 25-26 November 2004

Mountain Quality Products
Final Conference - Project 2002-2004
Cordoba, Spain. 24-26 June 2004

Mountain Food Products in Europe: What Assets and What Strategies?
Technical consultative seminar - project 2002-2004
Turin, Italy. 12-13 February 2004

Seminar: The place of mountain issues within future EU-policies
Brussels, Belgium. 25-26 May 2003

Our mountains - A Future Strength of European Rural Development
Third European Mountain Convention, Inverness (Scotland). 16-18 May 2002

Seminar: Mountain agriculture towards sustainable development Which compensation to recognise the contribution of agriculture to mountain areas?
Capracotta, Italy. 21 - 24 June 2001

Mountain regions as pioneers of sustainable development. Quality: the comparative advantage of the future
Second European Mountain Convention
Trento (Italy). 17 and 18 March 2000

Employment in the service of sustainable development
First European Mountain Convention
Lubljana, Slovenia. 1-3 October 1998

Mountains of Europe, new cooperations for a sustainable development
Krakow Conference, Poland. September 1995

                                  


 

 

 VI European Mountain Convention "How to generate added value from Europe's mountains?" 

 


Euromontana, in cooperation with the Swiss Centre for mountain regions (SAB) is organising the VI European Mountain Convention in the city of Brig. In the year 2008, Brig is Alpine city of the year, which provides an ideal background for the Mountain Convention.

 

This Convention aims to discuss how to generate added value within Europe’s mountain areas and the sessions will be treating specifically new European policies in mountain areas, the right political framework for mountains and their way to competitiveness and innovation, transformation of the industrial sector in mountains and mountain economy, developing entrepreneurship in mountain areas as well as ways of adaptation to climate change.

 

The Convention is combined with another international event in Brig, organised by the “Fondation pour le développement durable des regions de montagne”, held on October 6 to 10, which creates one big international week of the mountains. The field trips are therefore combined between the two events. The Mountain Convention is made possible through the support from the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture, the Canton of Wallis and the city of Brig as well as numerous other sponsors.

 

Further information from conference@euromontana.org

 

 

DRAFT AGENDA

Wednesday 8 October 2008

Arrival of participants and registration from 9.00 onwards

Study tours

1. Visit to the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site "Jungfrau-Aletsch Bietschhorn"

2. Visit to the Ecomuseum Simplon

3. Visit to the regional park Binntal

 Starting point: 13h30 in front of the Congress centre in Brig

Thursday 9 October 2008

Arrival of participants and registration from 9.00 onwards

(Euromontana General Assembly 09.30-12.00)

12.00 Lunch

 

13.00 Opening and introduction to the conference

 

-          Frank Gaskell, Past-President of Euromontana

-          Viola Amherd, mayor of the City of Brig and member of the Federal Parliament

 

13.15 Keynote speech: Setting the right political framework for
            mountains on their way to innovation and competitiveness

 

-          Michel Barnier, Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, France

 

13.45 Keynote Speech: Mountain areas in the new European policies –
            a closer look at the Territorial Cohesion and the Common
            Agricultural Policy

 

-          Mariann Fischer Boel, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development

 

14.15 Moderated round table: Challenges and responses in generating
            added value within the European mountain areas

           

Facilitator: Priscilla Imboden, Swiss Radio DRS

 

-          Jean-Michel Cina, Cantonal Councillor, head of the Department of Economic Affairs and territorial development

-          Thomas Dax, Bundesanstalt für Bergbauernfragen

-          Mr. Hlavác, deputy minister for agriculture of the Czech Republic

-          Cornelia Harabagiu, State Secretary for rural development, Romania
 

 

15.30  Coffee

 

16.00-18.00 Parallel Working Groups  

 

1) Building and fostering systems of added value (french and german)

 

Facilitator: Christoph Böbner, Vice director of the Federal office for agriculture

 

Many ideas and projects are developed in mountain areas. But sadly, many of those ideas are not successful. All too often, those products and services are not market-orientated or are not integrated in chains of added value. So how can we build chains of added value? Or how can we strengthen existing chains? What are factors for success or failure?

 

- Woodcluster Salzburg: Waltraud Winkler-Rieder

- EuroMARC project: analysis of the different elements of the agricultural value chain: Marie Guitton, Euromontana

 

2) Transformation of the industrial sector in mountain areas (french and slovene)

 

Industry has often been a very important factor for the economic development of mountain areas. Traditionally, heavy industry was developed on the basis of a cheap labour-force and available energy. In some countries, heavy industry was decentralised for political reasons. New forms of production and new market requirements have fundamentally changed the requirements of those industries. The restructuring process was and still is difficult for most regions, as alternative job opportunities are not available. It is therefore interesting to analyse some successful examples of transformation.

 

-  Transforming the metal forging industry in Austria into new economic activities: Regional management of Steiermark, TBD

-  The conversion of the military industry into new economic activities: Czech Republic, TBD

 

 

3) Towards a knowledge based mountain economy (english)

 

Facilitator: Flavio Ruffini, EURAC

 

Knowledge is becoming an ever increasingly important factor for economic success. This holds particularly true for mountain regions which have to struggle with increased transport distances, more difficult access to markets etc. An intelligent combination of science, research and enterprises can generate an added value in those mountain regions. There are several interesting examples in that respect:

 

- New medical research centre in Inverness: TBD

- University of Highlands and Islands, Scotland: TBD

- The approach of the autonomous province of Bolzano, Flavio Ruffini, EURAC

 

 

4) Adaptation approaches to climate change (english and french)

 

Facilitator: Hansruedi Müller, University of Berne

 

The climate is changing. We must take this as a fact. Many studies have been carried out to prove this and to show the possible impacts. The European Commission published a Green Paper on climate change in 2007.  Mountain areas will be particularly affected by the impacts of climate change. They therefore need adaptation approaches to climate change. How can winter tourism react to decreasing snow-coverage? Are there other opportunities e.g. in summer tourism? How can territorial entities react to increasing natural hazards? Do we need new rules for spatial planning? What are likely impacts on mountain farming? Do we need new production methods?

 

 

20.00  Common dinner of the conference participants

 

Sponsored by Coop Pro Montagna

 

 

Friday 10 October 2008

 

09.00   Round table: Lessons to be learned from the previous day

Moderated round table with the moderators of the workshops

Facilitator: Priscilla Imboden, Swiss Radio DRS

 

09.30 Parallel Working Groups

 

5) Valorisation of mountain amenities – externalities? (english)

 

Facilitator: Gérard Viatte, Verbier, adviser to FAO

 

Mountain areas provide various amenities, such as the landscape, the pure air, high-quality farming products, water, rich biodiversity, etc. But how can these amenities better be valorised?. How can we make sure that the provision and use of those amenities are properly paid for and that  the positive externalities from mountain areas receive an appropriate compensation?

 

- Landscape and biodiversity: Gerald J. Puckner, University of Linz

- Project RUBICODE, 6th Framework Programme: TBD

 

6) Developing and supporting entrepreneurship in mountain areas (french and english)

 

Facilitator: Juanan Gutierrez, IKT

 

Mountain areas face the handicap of longer distances and therefore more difficult access to markets. In such situations, enterprises in mountain areas must be particularly efficient in developing new business schemes. They must innovate and launch new, user-orientated products and services. They must also be ready to take some risks. In short: they need entrepreneurship. How can this be encouraged? What are the factors for success?

 

 

7) New approaches in territorial governance (english and italian)

 

Facilitator: Drew MacFarlane-Slack, Scottish Rural Property & Business Association Limited

 

Promoting integrated rural development poses numerous policy and governance challenges: it requires coordination across sectors, across levels of government and between public and private actors. What is the best level for coordination? How can actors be brought together? How to steer and conduct a bottom-up-process at local / regional level?

 

- National parks as a tool for territorial governance - the experience of national parks in Macedonia: Vlatko Andonovski, Balkan Foundation

 

8) Demographic change as a challenge and a chance (german and french)

 

Facilitator: Gabi Tröger-Weiss

 

Demographic change with both ageing populations and the loss of younger people is a huge challenge for numerous mountain regions. How can the services of general interest be maintained under those circumstances? Can this demographic change also be a chance for mountain regions? Could some regions specialize, for example, in care elderly people? What are the consequences of the demographic change on the role of women in society and economy?

 

- Innovative approaches for maintaining services of general interest on the background of the demographic change: Gabi Tröger Weiss

- Care for elderly persons as an asset for mountain territories? A case from Torino: TBD

- The role of women in up-keeping the social network in regions particularly affected by demographic change: female farmers from Romania: TBD

 

11.00 Coffee break

 

11.30 Plenary session and round table discussion: Policy approaches supporting innovation in Europe’s mountains – Towards a new rural paradigm

 

Rural policy has for a long time been a sectoral policy. But in most rural and mountain regions, farming is no longer the predominant economic factor. Rural regions depend on a wide range of economic engines for growth. A new approach towards rural regions is needed. Should we seek a new rural paradigm? Its main characteristics would be a focus on places rather than sectors and an emphasis on investments rather than subsidies.

 

 

-          Theo Maissen, President of SAB and member of the Federal Parliament

-          Branka Tome, State Secretary for agriculture, forest and food, Slovenia (TBC)

-          Nicola Crosta, Head of Rural Development Programme, OECD

-          Nicolas Evrard, secretary general of AEM

-          Jean-Didier Hache, CPMR

 

 

13.00 Closing and conclusions

 

- Reports from the working groups

- New President of Euromontana

 

13.30 Lunch

 

 

Saturday 11 October 2008

 

We suggest you might take the opportunity to stay for the weekend in this very interesting touristic region. Further information can be found at:

www.valaistourism.ch and www.brig-belalp.ch

 

A special package has been developed for participants of the Mountain Convention. Please visit www.alpenstadt-2008.ch for further details.

 

 

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

 

 

The conference will take place in the Congress centre “Simplonhalle”, city of Brig, Canton Wallis, Switzerland.

 

Registration and further information

 

Please send your registration form by 31 August 2008 at latest by email at info@sab.ch or by fax at 0041 31 382 10 16.

 

For further information, you can either contact our office in Brussels at

 

T: +32 2 280 4283

F: +32 2 280 4285

conference@euromontana.org

 

or the local organiser, the Swiss Center for mountain regions SAB in Bern at

 

0041 31 382 10 10

info@sab.ch

 

Languages: English, French, Italian, German and Slovenian

 

Costs: A participation fee of 120 Euros is required (100 Euros for members, students and participants from Central and Eastern European countries).

 

 

How to get there

 

Brig is located in the middle of the Alps. It is very accessible by train. There are direct connections from Geneva and Zurich international airports. Travelling time is ca. 2 hours.

For the train timetables, you can visit www.sbb.ch

 

Venue: Simplonhalle (Congress centre)    

Rhonesandstrasse, Brig (CH)

 

 

Accommodation

 

A number of hotel rooms are specially reserved for the Convention and are guaranteed until 31 August 2008. Reservations can be made directly via the online form at http://www.brig-belalp.ch/events/kongresse/reservation6.berggebietstagung.php. If you want to register later, we can not guarantee that there are enough rooms in the city of Brig. Please contact directly Brig-Belalp-Tourismus (www.brig-belalp.ch). Each participant must pay for his/her accommodation directly to the hotel.

 

 

 

 

 


 

 Seminar on Depopulated and Mountain Areas - Positive Experiences of Active Marketing 

 

Euromontana in cooperation with the Arc Latin network and Diputacion de Teruel is organising an exchange seminar in Brussels on active marketing as a solution to depopulated and mountain areas. The seminar will examine the Teruel model and other successful examples of regional strategies and activities to attract and maintain population.

Euromontana invites all its members and their Brussels offices to discuss this topical issue, also with the view of perhaps putting together a project consortium for future closer cooperation

 Thursday 29 May 2008 9 to 18.30, Euromontana premises (C/O Casa Lombardia, 2 Place de Champ de Mars, Brussels, Metro: Porte de Namur)

Languages: English, Spanish and Italian

Click here to see the DRAFT AGENDA (versión en espagñol)

 

Register here

 

 

 

 


 

 Euromontana Round Table discussion on the implications of the Territorial Cohesion Green paper for mountain and similar areas 

 

Report of the meeting

Presentation of the draft Euromontana discussion paper on Territorial Cohesion:

 Round Table discussion facilitated by Frank Gaskell, President of Euromontana, with the participation of:

 Discussion with the floor (members of Euromontana, organisations involved in the Territorial Cohesion)

Round Table

 

Frank Gaskell

 


Thomas Dax

 

 

 

 


 

 

EUROMONTANA OLYMPUS LECTURE "THE EUROPEAN TERRITORIAL AGENDA - THE WAY AHEAD"

 

Adaptation to climate change

"Climate change in mountainous regions - Impacts, Responses, Research", Rüdiger Grote, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK-IFU), Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

"Mountain Areas - ongoing work at the European Environmental Agency", Agnieszka Romanowicz and Ronan Uhel, European Environmental Agency

Olympus Lecture "The European Territorial Agenda - the way ahead" - Final Report

 

Metka Cernelc, Welf Selke, Maria José Festas, Roland Hall and Frank Gaskell

Metka Cernelc, Welf Selke and Maria José Festas

 

 

 


 

 

 

TOWARDS INTEGRATED MOUNTAIN AREA DEVELOPMENT AND ITS RECOGNITION IN THE COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY- 

SHAPING THE NEW EUROPEAN SPACE
Romania, Neamt county, city of Piatra Neamt
, 4-5 October 2007

Final Report |EN| |FR| |RO|

Conference Memorandum

 

                             

AGENDA

 

Thursday 4 October 2007

 

Opening and introduction to the conference

 

                - Frank Gaskell, President of Euromontana

                - Decebal Traian Remeş, Romanian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development

                - Cornelia Harabagiu, Secretary of State in the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural

                  Development

                - Teodor Mocanu, Perfect of Neamt County

                - Annie Benarous, representing the French Ministery of Agriculture and Fishery

                - Representant of His Eminence Daniel the Patriarchal of the Orthodox Romanian Church

 

Plenary session: Recognising and rewarding the benefits of certain economic activities in mountain areas

Agriculture, forestry and some other activities use the mountain territory in a sustainable manner that, as a by-product, generate benefits at social, environmental and cultural levels, but the economic viability of these core activities is often insecure. Funding could be provided by diversification and adding value to products and services on specific markets, by public/private partnerships on land management and where the market does not exist, by public funding for positive externalities. Points of view from the actors and the European Commission.

 

Facilitator: Frank Gaskell, President of Euromontana

Speakers: "Farming in remote rural areas:  how do we secure public goods in the future?",

             Claudia Rowse, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scotland

               "The impact of the cheese products Tête de Moine in the employment of the region", O.Isler,  

               Switzerland

               "Positive externalities - Promotion of material and immaterial patrimonies from the mountain area

               of Mures county”, Ciprian Dobre, Prefect of the Region of Mures, Romania

               "Maintenance of employment due to collective economic actions - the UCCIMAC example"

                Jacques Henry Pointeau, UCCIMAC, France

 

Parallel Working Groups

1) Economic constraints and opportunities of pastoralism

Identification of the economic impediments to maintainance of pastoralism in mountain areas and exchanges between the European massifs on the solutions found and developed by public measures or through new local opportunities

Facilitator: Sylvain Lhermitte, APCA, France

Speakers: "Designation of the regional park as a strategy for strengthening agriculture,

                tourism and transhumance", Eivind Brenna, mayor of Vestre Slidre municipality and

                President of the board of Valdres Nature and Culture Park, Norway

                "Making biodiversity pay in a small-scale farming community in Transylvania", Nat Page,

                Fundatia ADEPT, Romania

               "Political support to herding of collective herds in High-Pyrenees", Didier Buffiere,

               Director of the Center of Resources about pastoralism and management of the

               High-Pyrenees

 

2) Rural Tourism

Diversification approaches and practice in agro-tourism, tourism based on quality products etc.

Facilitator: Tor Bremer, Sogn og Fjordane County Council, Norway, Vice-President of Euromontana

Speakers: “Alta via del gusto - the paths of the mountain flavours", Giuseppe Pellegrini and Sergio Reolon,

                Provincia di Belluno, Italy

            “Sustainable tourism development as a base for alternative income and self-employment

                for the population in the mountain regions”, Vlatko Andonovski and Dragi Pop-Stojanov,

                Makmontana, Macedonia

                "Underlining the value of agro-tourist potential in the romanian rural mountain space,

                in the European context", Dr. Ing. Danut Ungureanu

 

3) Biomass opportunities in mountain areas - forestry and agriculture used as carbon sinks as a reply to climate change

Policies and good practice examples

Facilitator: Martin Price, Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College, Scotland

Speakers: "Woods in Lombardy: the biomass environmental and economic value",

                 Maria Grazia Pedrana, IREALP, Italy

                Ioan Alecu, Technical University Iasi, Romania

 

Friday 5 October 2007

 

Plenary session and a round table discussion: Improving the management of the sanitary and veterinary norms to maintain small farms and processing units in the mountain areas

More than anywhere else, in the mountain areas there are small processing structures and units that sometimes sell direct to the consumer. They add value to the product or bring complementary revenue for transhumance activities. The consumers expect healthy products and sanitary and veterinary norms are set at the Community level. Sometimes these norms can endanger the traditional production systems that represent the culture and identity of local populations. What does the European Commission propose in this context? What successful solutions have been found by small producers?

 

Facilitator: Zelie Peppiette, DG Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission

- Challenges to maintain processing activities in mountain areas for rural development - Zelie Peppiette, DG Agri

- A favourable framework to help the producers respect hygiene and veterinary norms in small-scale production in mountain areas - Frederic Ernou, APCA, France

- Round table: How to maintain agrofood economy in mountain areas – to not loose cultural heritage but to respond to hygiene norms of the European Union.

 

Speakers: Bibiana Janackova- DG Sanco, European Commission

               Radu Roatis Chetan, Romanian National Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA),

               President, State Secretary

               Peter Zangerl, Alpenländische Milchwirtschaft, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry,

               Environment and Water Management, Austria

           

 

Parallel Working Groups

4) Exchange and identification of tools and recommendations to facilitate the setting of and adapting to sanitary and veterinary norms concerning the primary and secondary production and direct sale

How to bring together farmers, shepherds, local authorities, agencies and local development organisations to manage the difficulties encountered throughout Europe? How to avoid decisions that endanger the cultural and gastronomic diversity of our mountains and affect drastically the economy of the fragile rural areas?

Facilitator: Frederic Ernou, APCA, France

Speakers:"Getting organic beef from Czech mountains to supermarkets", Petr Krogman,

               Svaz marginalnich oblasti, Czech Republic

               "The Poa campagne to clarify food hygiene regulation", Raluca Barbu, WWF Danube

               Carphatian Programme, Romania

               "Situation of small units in the Basque Country in relation to sanitary regulations",

               Eider Arrieta, IKT, Spain

 

5) How to maintain population in the mountain areas

Innovative approaches and the role of education

Facilitator: Danut Gitan, CEFIDEC, Romania, Vice-President of Euromontana

Speakers: "The population in mountain areas and the agricole vulgarisation", Tiberiu Stef,

                AGROMRO, Romania

                "Measures to fight brain drain in a region", Dr. Frans Coenen,

                University of Twente, Netherlands

                "How to maintain population at the mountain areas", Javier Huertas,

                Provincia de Teruel, Spain

                "Social capital of hill-farming in Cumbria 2004", Ian Soane,

                Uplands Centre of Cumbria, United Kingdom

                "Regional plans of Rural development Diversification of the Communitarian

                Incentives", Rossana Interlandi, Governo Regionale Siciliano

       

6) Agricultural land: pressure in the valleys and management issues on pastures

 Identification of difficulties met in the valleys (i.e. urban pressures) and in the high pastures (i.e. land tenure). Solutions to limit these negative effects for the maintaining of pastoral activities.

Facilitator: Thierry Percie du Sert, ARPE Midi-Pyrenées, France, Member of Euromontana Board

Speakers: "Bank of Land", Benigno Fano, IKT, Spain

                "Planning scheme in the Province of Trento", Alessandro Gretter, Centro de Ecologia

                Alpina, Italie

                "Crofting land - matching value and returns?", Gwyn Jones, EFNCP

                "Pastoral activity in the Bucegi Mountains - Romania", Teodor Marusca, Romontana,

                Romania

 

Plenary session: Cooperation for innovation between mountain areas

Finding innovative solutions, pooling resources, sharing facilities and cooperation in development strategies is becoming more and more crucial. Mountain areas share a communality that makes interregional cooperation between them particularly easy and fruitful. What are the good practice examples for mountain areas and the new approaches needed?

 

Facilitator: Viviana Vasile, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Speakers: Roland-Thierry Hamel, LEADER program, France

                "Leader in mountain areas and proposal of a network of mountains LAG's", Antonio Machado,

                ADRAT, Portugal

                Sebastian Catanoiu, Vanatori Neamt Natural Park, representing Vienna, ISCC

                (Carpathian Convention)

                "Balkan Convention Process", Vlatko Andonovski, Makmontana

                "Civil society cooperation in mountain areas", Prof. Radu Rey, Romania

 

              

Closing and conclusions

                 - Reports from the working groups

                 - Frank Gaskell, President of Euromontana

                 - Toader Mocanu, Prefect of Neamt county                    

                 - Danut Gitan, CEFIDEC

 

 

General Assembly

 

the audience


visit to Neamt County

 

Neamt Monastery

Plenary session

visit to Neamt Monastery

 

 

   Organised by:    
      
  European Association of Mountain Areas    
  in partnership with    
              
   CEFIDEC Vatra Dornei   Romanian Mountain Forum

  National Association for

Mountain Rural Development

   Neamt Prefecture   Neamt County Council  
   Co-funded by    

Roamanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

     

   
   Europan Community,

DG Agriculture and Rural Development

   
   Neamt County Council    

 

 


MEETING OF THE EUROMONTANA BOARD WITH SCOTTISH MEMBERS IN INVERNESS

13 July 2007

 

 

  

 

Frank Gaskell, the President of Euromontana,

Thomas Egger, the Treasurer of Euromontana,

and Tor Bremer, the Vice-President of Euromontana

  Euromontana Board

 

Courtesy of Highlands and Islands Enterprise for the photos

 

Presentation made by the Board

 


COHESION FOR GROWTH - MOUNTAINS AS NATURAL INGREDIENTS FOR EUROPE'S COMPETITIVITY
Fifth European Mountain Convention
Portugal, Chavez. 14-16 September 2006

Final Report

 

Press release  Communiqué de presse
Chaves declaration
Déclaration de Chaves
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