October 30 2009 - The greetings from the President Roth to the presentation of the website.

In January 1934, while preparing Italian athletes for the Winter Olympic Games of 1936 in Garmisch, the town of Aosta gave birth to a long lasting companionship between mountain sport and military tradition. 75 years later, in that same town, Aosta, this ancient companionship in transformed into reality and concretises through the organisation of the first edition of the CISM Winter Military World Games, which will finally be held in the homonym Region from 20th to 25th March 2010, among the majestic landscapes of Europe’s highest mountains.

Thanks to the attendance of significant athletes representing over 50 countries and proudly wearing their national uniform, these Winter Military World Games will undoubtedly embody an extraordinary experience of sport and sincere friendship, just a few weeks after the Olympic Games in Vancouver.

This worldwide event was made possible thanks to the precious help and will of Aosta Valley Region, which has offered the organising competences and the ancient tradition of hospitality of its people, and thanks to the work of CISM , which, since 1948, brings sport and friendship together in a tight cooperation with CIO, ONU and the European Community.

On the “battle fields” of the different tracks, the athletes will literally fight and compete for 6 days in the main ski disciplines such as downhill, cross country, biathlon, short track , and in the classical mountain sports such as orienteering, climbing and ski alp. This first edition of these Games represents a great challenge, not only for the athlete’s fight against the chronometer, but, first of all, for its significance in asserting the victory of harmony and dialogue amongst different populations, embodied by these extraordinary “Soldiers of peace”.

Luigi Roth

O.C. President