An oasis in a huge desert

In today's world, where everybody is angry, where the public everywhere does not trust governments and the media, where countries are at odds with each other, we all need neutral and oxygen-rich oases.

I've found my oasis: the Ski Club of International Journalists (SCIJ). I get to live in that oasis for a week every year, and I find myself extremely lucky to find such an unbiased platform. Hundreds of journalists from more than 30 countries meet up at a ski resort, ski together, race and exchange views not only on the slopes but also during panels organized by the host country's journalists.

The main subjects of the panels are the main issues that set the agenda during that year.

For instance, two years ago in our Spain meeting, the topic was the Charlie Hebdo attack; last year in Italy the topic was migrants. This year, in Val Cenis, France, we were informed about the coming Paris Olympics and Brexit.

For some, skiing is just an excuse, what matters is the interaction among journalists.

Although skiing is an excuse for it all, it is also the backbone of the organization. As such, there are no politics at the SCIJ; it is about sports, exchanging ideas and making friends. Politics may be the thing that is most talked about during the week, but tensions between the countries are not reflected here. When politicians do not interfere, people get along. It is exactly like that in SCİJ.

There are no ideologies, no political conflicts, no fights at all. Imagine it as the United Colors of Journalists. We all represent our countries with its sins and good deeds. 

The Anglo-Swiss Parliamentary Ski Meeting may be considered the inspiration for SCIJ. Parliamentarians from England and Switzerland would annually meet...