-----------Today as essential as 50 years ago
Gilles de la Rocque, the founder of SCIJ
To be honest we
didn't have to
start our dear
hobby with
this primitive
aquipment
The first SCIJ meeting in Meribel, 1955.
Lack of international communication gave a start
More than others, Gilles de La Rocque was stuck by this lack of communication. A fervent mountaineer and skier, he dreamed of being able to unite, in his favourite surroundings, journalists of many nations who would finally be able to get together, relieved of their narrow political vocabulary and exempt from all banality and chauvinism.
In January 1955, after 4 years of patient and untiring work the dream became reality and the first meeting of the SCIJ was organized to take place in Méribel-les-Allues (France). There assembled 65 journalists from 8 countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxemburg, Switzerland, West Germany and Yugoslavia).
Discussion between East and West begins
The enthusiastic atmosphere created during this meeting found its echo in 1956 at Sainte-Croix - Les Rasses in Switzerland, where the participation was enlarged to 92 journalists from 12 countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Switzerland, USA, West Germany and Yugoslavia).
If at Sainte Croix - Les Rasses Gilles de La Rocque's great idea was definitely becoming accepted, the third meeting, held in Kranjska Gora (Slovenia) in Yugoslavia, was the real starting point on profitable exchanges of view points between pressmen, both from the Eastern and Western hemisphere. Ninety journalists from 13 countries met that year in Yugoslavia. Since then the meetings have taken place regularly every year.
Old peace horse retires - SCIJ skies on
Towards the end of 1966, Gilles de La Rocque decided to retire from his post as active president of the SCIJ. His choice for successor was Marcel Pasche, of Switzerland who, from the very first meetings at Meribel, had been an ardent promoter of the SCIJ.
Mr. Pasche presided over the SCIJ for eleven years. He invested our organization with statutes and technical rules and regulations which successfully channel and govern our booming association's gatherings and ambitions. These regulations were drowned up, debated and adopted in Lausanne in Sept. 1967, at the SCIJ's initial Congress.
The Lausanne Congress was followed by many others, in the course of which the organiszation's internal business had been carefully discussed. The International Gatherings, on the other hand, have given greater focus to skiing. The congresses offer an opportunity for less rugged countries to show how attached they are in the club spirit.
New meetings, new countries, new presidents and finally - a female president
After Lausanne (1967), The Hague (1970), Budapest (1972), Wuppertal (1973), Knokke-Le-Zoute (1975), Bad Kleinkirchheim (1978), Luxemburg (1980), Prague-Roztez (1983), Deventer (1985), Jerusalem (1987), Sant Antonio-Ibiza (1989), Prague-Harachov (1991), Ljubljana (1993), South Bohemia (1994), Lausanne (1995) and Rovinj (Croatia 1998) hosted the SCIJ without any ski...
Gilles' and Marcel's successors to the presidency have been René Langel, Switzerland (1977-1978), Josko Pirnar, Yugoslavia (1978-1984), Tore Johannessen, Norway (1984-1990), Dennis Redmont, USA (1990-1994), Anders Hellner, Sweden (1994-1998), Beppe Erani, Italy (1998-2002) and Ivana Suhadolc (2002- ).
Marcel Pasche 1931–2004 Personal souvenirs of Marcel
Tore Johannessen in Memoriam
The future of SCIJ Round Table in Alpe d'Huez
SCIJ Canada 45 years. Born by accident? by Erik Durschmied
Patrick Bourrat Im Memoriam (E)
Skiing with Spies by Tony Gearing
A booklet of memories. Print it!
The biggest and probably the most active national teal, Italians training in Canazei.
Far away from home
but always active
on the slopes, active
on the dance floor
- the Canadiens,
Janique Leblanc
among others.
Thus, over the years, despite the sometimes dramatic turn taken in world events, the SCIJ has continued to grow, the number of nations adhering to the Club is at an all time record, the skiing competitions have increased and national ski clubs have been formed in each country.
National championships and regional meetings with foreign participation, and spring outings, have been added to the international programme and all these are now highlighted with extremely interesting roundtable conferences on the most up to date subjetcs.
Journalists from North, South, East and West now converse in a friendly and enriching manner. In Belgrade as in London, in Lausanne or Milan, Prague or Brussels, Paris or Moscow, Algiers or Montreal, journalists from all branches of the press, from foreign affairs to art and literary critics, photographers, sports writers and even a few ski specialists (who, by the way, are not always the best skiers) are represented in our Club.
New juxtapositions give new reason
Resolutely looking toward the future, but never forgetting its past history, the SCIJ has celebrated its 40th Anniversary in March 1994 in a friendly atmosphere. Taken as an example throughout the world there is no doubt that our aims and ambitions will continue to be upheld with the help of our members in our mutual love of mountains and for better international understanding.
When we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of S.C.I.J. in March the clouds that had started clearing up ten years ago are gathering again.
Very sad drawbacks in international politics have given new reason to S.C.I.J. to activate it's members' work in improving international communication. S.C.I.J. must not be a relic but vital community of responsible journalists not only taking the advantages of the fourth state authority but also bear the responsibility for telling also the bad news.
Communication between generations is the strength of S.C.I.J.