Touring Club Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzero - TCS
FIA Conference Week in Lucerne with the Motto: the environment - challenges and opportunities for the future of automobile associations.
Vernier (ots)
From 5th - 8th May, 260 delegates from 55 different automobile associations from 44 countries are meeting in Lucerne for the FIA Conference Week. The motto of the conference is "The environment: challenges and opportunities for the future of automobile associations". The prominent speakers secured for the conference include Nicolas G. Hayek, Chairman of the Swatch Group, and Thomas Stocker, Professor for Climate and Environmental Physics. TCS, which helped to organise this big event, is hosting the FIA Conference.
In view of its growing significance, the environment is the focus of FIA activities in 2008. The aim of the umbrella campaign "Make Cars Green" is to raise awareness of environmental issues among a wider public. So, it goes without saying that the subject of sustainability and environmental issues are key concerns of the FIA Conference Week from 5th - 8th May in Lucerne. The FIA is hoping, in particular, that the combination of decision-makers, industry and consumers will lead to constructive attempts at solutions for a more environmentally-friendly, sustainable mobility.
As part of a Marketing Workshop, on Wednesday 7th May 2008 Nicolas Hayek, Chairman of the Swatch Group Board, will talk about his "Smart car" concept and present his revolutionary plan, namely the construction of emission-free vehicles powered by fuel cells.
The FIA Forum Tourism and Environment on Tuesday 6th May 2008 will include prominent speakers such as renowned climatologist Professor Thomas Stocker from the Institute for Climate and Environmental Physics of Bern University. Among other things, Stocker was co-author of the IPCC Climate Report and has made a name for himself with his research into greenhouses gases and their impact on the climate. The list of speakers also features the following experts: Geoffrey Lipman, Spokesman and Assistant Secretary-General of the UNWTO, the World Tourism Organisation of the UN. The UNWTO plays a leading role in the promotion of sustainable tourism; Dr. Harold Goodwin, Professor of Tourism Management at Leeds University, who is an acknowledged expert in the field of sustainable tourism. Simon Calder, a well-known travel writer, editor of tourism with "The Independent" newspaper and BBC Correspondent, will also be taking part in the Tourism & Environment Forum. The primary aim of this event is to shed light on the impact of tourism and, in that connection, motor vehicle and air traffic, on the environment.
FIA
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) is the international umbrella federation of world motor sport and of the leading automobile organisations. Its headquarters are in Paris and Geneva. The federation was founded on 20th June 1904 as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR). The FIA has more than 150 national member organisations - including the TCS - in 118 countries and represents more than 100 million motorists. www.fia.com www.makecarsgreen.com
TCS
With 1.6 million members, the Touring Club Schweiz (TCS) is the largest mobility organisation in Switzerland. The TCS looks after the interests of its members at transport and environmental policy level. Among other things, it works to improve traffic safety, i.e. to improve transport infrastructure and to educate and provide advanced training for motor vehicle drivers. Its most important activities include, among other things, breakdown service, assistance abroad, technical advice and consumer information, traffic safety and legal protection. www.tcs.ch
Contact:
Media relations TCS: Stephan Müller, spokes person
Phone: +41/31/380'11'44
E-Mail: smueller@tcs.ch
Media relations FIA
E-Mail: press@fiacommunications.com