Autor: Jacek Czabański
CLIMBING EUROPE – final report
27.11.2003 – 26.04.2004
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE OPERATION
a) Exhibition and a lecture
The presentation of the Club history was organised at the Professors’ Club at Warsaw University on 12 December 2003. The presentation, consisted of 9 slide shows, was a thorough description of the Club history since its very beginning.
Following speakers took the floor:
1. Prof. Maciej Popko – the 1960′
2. Mr. Wiesław Krajewski – the 1970′
3. Mr. Krzysztof Lang and Mr. Jan Narożniak – the 1970′
4. Mr. Jacek Tafel – the 1970′
5. Mr. Bernard Ziółkowski – the 1970′
6. Mr. Lech Łobocki – the 1980′
7. Mr. Adam Biedrzycki – the 1980′
8. Mr. Robert Sieklucki – the 1990′
9. Mr. Jakub Radziejowski – the 1990/2000′
The attendance in the event was free and open for all (a local edition of „Gazeta Wyborcza” daily published an invitation). Approximately 100 people took part in the meeting.
b) Slide-shows Five slide shows were given in co-operation with students’ scientific group for tourism at Warsaw School of Economics (Studenckie Koło Naukowe Turystyki Szkoły Głównej Handlowej) and Tourists Club TRAMP (Klub Turystyczny TRAMP). Slide shows were warm welcomed by the public. Details are presented below:
1. 24.02.2004, Ms. Eliza Kubarska, The Southern France. 110 participants.
2. 02.03.2004, Mr. David Kaszlikowski, Corsica and Sardinia 100 participants.
3. 30.03.2004, Mr. Krzysztof Sadlej, The Dolomites, Piz Badile, The Dauphins Alps, 70 participants.
4. 06.04.2004, Mr. Jakub Radziejowski, The French Alps – Chamonix, 60 participants.
5. 20.04.2004, Ms. Agnieszka Romańska and Mr. Grzegorz Zieliński, Spanish climbing areas, 40 participants.
All speakers except one (Mr. David Kaszlikowski) were members of the Club. The BUKA+CD-ROM were distributed at the meetings (approximately 150 copies were distributed that way).
Promotional posters were prepared and were put at Warsaw School of Economics and Warsaw climbing centres. Announcements were also published at the Club Web page and the most popular Polish climbing portal’s phorum (www.wspinanie.pl/forum). A local edition of Gazeta Wyborcza informed about 2 presentations.
c) Magazine
A magazine was the 6th issue of the Bulletin of the Club (BUKA). This special edition consisted of 92 pages, partially in colour. A CD-ROM has been attached to each copy of the magazine so both publications were distributed together. Magazine and CD-ROM were printed at the beginning of February 2004.
To avoid duplication with the CD-ROM content, the magazine were dedicated mainly to the Club’s members expedition experience and the Club social life. Moreover, Warsaw climbing gyms were presented. The main part of the magazine were however dedicated to the Alps and alpine climbing with a unique monograph of Grand Capucin peak in the French Alps.
Additionally, a poster with a topo of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley has been attached to the magazine. The poster was not a part of the Climbing Europe project but was distributed (as a gift) with the publication (the CD-ROM and magazine). The Club is a sponsor of Mr. Grzegorz Głazek publications describing climbing routes on photos (so called photo-guides).
BUKA+CD-ROMs were broadly distributed:
1. Club members – 200 copies
2. At slide shows (Warsaw climbing community) – 150 copies
3. Polish Mountaineering Association – 10 copies
4. Among 27 Polish climbing clubs associated in the Polish Mountaineering Association (2 copies for each) – 54 copies
5. Warsaw High Mountain Club and Warsaw Cave Club – 60 copies
6. European national climbing federations (1 copy for each) – 34 copies
7. Polish climbing magazines and Internet portals – 14 copies
8. Obligatory copies for 14 state libraries – 16 copies
9. Warsaw climbing centres – 150 copies
10. Copies sent for request – 200 copies
As for the last point: as the magazine and CD-ROM were printed, every person could have ordered a free copy of BUKA+CD-ROM by post (a pre-paid back addressed envelope was required). Because of a massive demand, the action had to be stopped after only 3 weeks from the beginning. 120 requests were sent and approximately 200 copies were distributed that way. This way of distribution seems to be very effective as virtually every one – regardless his location – can obtain a copy of the publications.
d) CD-ROM
The core of the project was a database of European climbing sites descriptions. The database was firstly published on the CD-ROM that was attached to and distributed with the magazine BUKA (see above).
Following areas have been described:
1. Adlitzgraben, Austria
2. Adrspach, The Czech Republic
3. Alpy Delfinatu (The Dauphin Alps), France
4. Arco, Italy
5. Ardeche, France
6. Ayna, Spain
7. Bergel Piz Badile, Italy/Switzerland
8. Buoux, France
9. Calanques, France
10. Ceuse, France
11. Chamonix, France
12. Chateauvert, France
13. Cinque Torri, Italy
14. Costa Daurada, Spain
15. Crni Kal, Slovenia
16. Dachstein, Austria
17. Duchere, France
18. El Chorro, Spain
19. Ferentillo, Italy
20. Finale Ligure, Italy
21. Forada, France
22. Frankenjura, Germany
23. Freyr, Belgium
24. Gritstone, Great Britain
25. Hollental, Austria
26. Hradok, Slovakia
27. Istria, Croatia
28. Jura, Poland
29. Kamieniec, Poland
30. Korsyka (Corsica), France
31. Kotecnik, Slovenia
32. Krym, Ukraine
33. La Riba, Spain
34. Leaz, France
35. Lofoty, Norway
36. Majorka (Mallorca), Spain
37. Marmolada, Italy
38. Matterhorn, Italy/Switzerland
39. Montserrat, Spain
40. Morskie Oko, Poland
41. Orpierre, France
42. Osp, Slovenia
43. Paklenica, Croatia
44. Presles, France
45. Chiele – Bicazu, Romania
46. Saleve, France
47. Sanetsch, Switzerland
48. Sardynia (Sardinia), Italy
49. Sella, Spain
50. Sperlonga, Italy
51. Sulov, Slovakia
52. Tofana, Italy
53. Tre Cime, Italy
54. Triglav, Slovenia
55. Vanoise, France
56. Verdon, France
Total length of the descriptions is 394,240 characters which means that a paper version would consist of approximately 220 pages. Moreover, 846 photos were attached. Thus, we calculate that the CD-ROM is an equivalent of a 500 page-long book!
Almost all areas described are within the (enlarged) EU. A few places (six) are located in other European countries. However, as no authors’ fees were paid for preparing descriptions, such an extension have had no financial consequences for the project budget.
All Polish areas descriptions have been translated into English to help foreign climbers when going to Poland.
Moreover, the CD-ROM consists also of texts published in previous issues of BUKA, and a comprehensive guide for training.
All this make the CD-ROM „the best gift in the history of Polish climbing” (from the review in „Góry” Magazine). UKA has given an open license for copying the CD-ROM for non-commercial use.
e) Web database
Web database is an on-line version of the CD-ROM with a full and free access to all information. A three new areas have been added, compared to the CD-ROM version, namely:
1. Gesauseberge, Austria
2. Penon de Ifach, Spain
3. Portland, Great Britain
Now, the Web database consists of 59 areas’ description. The database is available at www.topo.uka.pl A mini-discussion forum for each area has been added for more interactive communication. A few first comments have appeared, all positive.
The Club is going to enlarge the database, which is anyway the best source of information on European climbing areas in Polish right now.
The database was launched at the beginning of April 2004.
To promote the database, a promotional poster has been created. The poster appears in climbing centers, outdoor shops, clubs’ premises etc. to inform a local group of people about the Web site.
2 IMPACT ON TARGET GROUPS
The main planned impact we were going to achieve by the Climbing Europe project was improving the knowledge of European climbing areas and increasing awareness of European cultural diversity through learning about new climbing destinations, as well as promoting and encouraging mobility of – mainly Polish – climbers.
We know that people use the Climbing Europe Web site when planning their trips: many times the Climbing Europe site is recommended on climbing forums (for example: www.wspinanie.pl/forum and www.alpinizm.pl/forum) or discussion groups (for example: pl.rec.wspinaczka).
The traffic on our site has increased around 10 to 20% for the last three months, and this rise may be accounted for launching the Climbing Europe site.
The overwhelming popularity of the printed magazine and CD-ROM also suggests that our idea was a needed and popular one. Thus, we may assume, that the basic goal of spreading information was realised fully.
This was confirmed by opinions of representatives of our target groups, which ranged from emotional, enthusiastic reactions to balanced opinions, but were only on the positive side.
4. OBJECTVES ACHIEVED
We specified three target groups, which would be affected by the Climbing Europe project:
– Warsaw climbers and mountaineers community (approx. 10 000 members.) We may safely assume that we reached around 80 – 90% of the mentioned population (the Web site, paper magazine and slide shows).
– Polish climbers and mountaineers community (approx. 200 000 members.) Thanks to the reviews and information published in „Góry” (which gave its media patronage) and „Magazyn Górski” magazines, reviews published by the www.wspinanie.pl and www.redpoint.pdi.pl. Internet portals, as well as distribution of the printed magazine to a great majority of the Polish climbing and mountaineering clubs and associations, we probably reached around 30% of the said population. Probably around a half of those had a closer contact with the project (read the magazine, visited the Web site), while the other half heard or read about it.
– Climbers and mountaineers in Europe (approx. 2.000.000 people) – though the project gained recognition through mailing to European climbing clubs and organisations and is constantly maintaining good positions in the „Google” search engine, it is impossible to estimate what percentage of this target group was reached.
The interest raised by the paper magazine and the CD-ROM outgrew our most optimistic expectations. The publication was regarded as sensational, and named „the best gift in the history of Polish climbing” („Góry” magazine.)
Without any doubt, through this publication, we were able to achieve our basic and most important goal – providing information on a large group of European climbing areas to Polish climbers, as well as improving the knowledge of Polish climbing areas among foreign climbers.
The series of slide shows allowed for more in-depth presentation of chosen areas, while the Web site satisfied the modern mobility requirement – the area database can be accessed anytime, anywhere and for free.
5. EU visibility
a) Slide shows: the EU logo was put on promotional posters with a sentence of the EU financing as well. All presentations were introduced by a short speech which gave a description of the Climbing Europe project and mentioned the EU financial support.
b) Magazine: the EU logo was printed on the first page of the magazine. Inside, a note on the EU financial support and a disclaimer was included.
c) CD-ROM: The EU logo and a note on financial support were printed on the disc and its cover. At the main page of presentation, the EU logo is presented and a fact of the EU financing is mentioned in the project’s description. Moreover, at the bottom of every page in the Topo area, the EU logo is inserted. In the disclaimer, the fact of the EU financing is also mentioned.
d) Web-database: as above.
The fact of the EU financing was also recognised in media and private opinions. Our conclusion is that through the Climbing Europe project, the European Union has become closer to Polish climbing community.
5. OWN ASSESMENT OF THE PROJECT
Judging from the reaction of fellow climbers, climbing and mountaineering magazines and Web sites as well as the climbing society as a whole – the project was undoubtedly a great success.
We simply did not encounter a single negative opinion. There was some discussion concerning the point of view of some authors, mainly their assessment of the attractiveness of certain climbing areas, but apart from this – needed and expected constructive criticism – the feedback was enthusiastically positive.
The project filled in a certain gap – the lack of free, comprehensive and accessible source of information on European climbing areas. Before Climbing Europe such information was usually exchanged on discussion forums and groups, through private e-mails, or published on secluded Web pages. There was no integrated, searchable and complex source of such information.
The introduction of the Climbing Europe CD and – shortly afterwards – the Climbing Europe Web site, changed the way Polish climbers plan their climbing trips.
Climbing Europe as served well as a mean to promote European cultural diversity. Almost every area described has a few paragraphs describing the local customs or way o living. A great deal of such information is given through photos, which are a very important part of every area’s description.
The very same issue was often raised during the slide shows and provided a great background to the climbing
As far as the project management and organisation is concerned, the whole project was realised seamlessly, without any serious problems or obstacles.
6. BUDGET
The project costed 5989,16 Euro in total.
Sources of funding:
(a) direct revenue from the operation 0,00
(b) bank interest generated by the grant requested over the period of implementation of the operation 3,96
(c) contributions by other organisations (REUTERS sponsorship) 417,82
(d) contribution from the Commission 4788,16
(e) contribution by the UKA 779,22