The international symposium « Tree avenues – from war to peace » is finished. 110 participants from 4 continents had gathered in Liffol-le-Grand (Vosges county, France). The programme was packed, as 31 speakers from 10 countries took the floor during these two days following the centenary of the Armistice. But the symposium proceeded fluidly, as it mixed presentations, feedback, a prize giving ceremony and a round table /workshop, not to mention breaks, visits, films and a concert by Angeli Primitivi.
The event was heartily appreciated for the richness of its contents as well as for the quality of the exchanges and the well-thought-out organization : “Local, national, and international focus and context, with lots of food for thought.” “I learnt an enormous amount from the presentations and over coffee and our meals together. “ “interesting and moving” ”Huge thanks to you and all the team for excellent organisation, hospitality and a most enjoyable and interesting, I hope too successful symposium.”
Some pleasant comments about the programme of the symposium
Allee, allé, aleja, alej, аллея: all these words are the equivalent of the French word "allée" (i.e. avenue) in German (Allee), in Swedish, Norwegian or Danish (allé), in Polish, Slovenian, Latvian or Slovakian (aleja), in Czech (alej) and in Russian (аллея).
These terms are all used to designate a street, a road, a path or a canal lined with trees.
Have a look, for example, at the most beautiful "Alleen" of Switzerland: https://www.baumpflege-dietrich.ch/bern-thun-interlaken/images/pdf/medien/fachberichte/die_schoensten_alleen_der_schweiz.pdf
Or jump over to Sweden: you can choose to become a sponsor to the "trädallé" (tree avenue) of the Göta Kanal, a 190 km long canal built in the beginning of the 19th century: https://www.gotakanal.se/sv/tradfadder/
In neighbouring Norway, the Norwegian road authority awarded Borgestad avenue (Borgestadallé) the title of the "most beautiful road of the year" in 2012 : http://www.side3.no/dette-er-norges-vakreste-vei/3346855.html
BUND Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Drogi dla Natury launched a programme called "Make avenues, not borders". In 2014, the first German-Polish avenue was planted, as a symbol of European cohesion and peace.
Trees are powerful symbols. The two Korean leaders who are planting a tree on the boarder these days, as a "symbol of peace and prosperity", did understand this.
In 1922, French Marshall Joffre tourned the world to promote peace. In the United States, he planted one of the 1000 elms of the Des Moines Memorial Drive.
ALLÉES-AVENUES a signé en début de mois, aux côtés du Cabinet All(i)ée, des Amis de la Terre, d'A.R.B.R.E.S, de l'ASPAS, du Comité des Parcs et Jardins de France, de la Fédération Française du paysage, de l'Institut Européen des Jardins & Paysages, de la LPO, de Maisons Paysannes de France, de Noé, de Patrimoine-Environnement, de Paysages de France, De Paysages de l'après-pétrole, de la Société Française d'Arboriculture, de VMF, un courrier à Nicolas Hulot.