分类： society

A deadly off-piste avalanche struck the Mont Blanc massif near the Italy-France-Switzerland border on Sunday, resulting in two fatalities and one critical injury. The incident occurred in the renowned Couloir Vesses freeride zone within Courmayeur’s upper Val Veny region, according to official reports from Italy’s Alpine Rescue service.

Emergency responders mobilized fifteen rescue specialists, three dog units, and two helicopter teams in a comprehensive search operation. Despite being transported to a medical facility in serious condition, one of the initially injured skiers succumbed to injuries sustained in the avalanche.

This tragedy coincides with a separate avalanche event in Trentino where another skier experienced partial burial but was successfully extricated by fellow group members. These incidents follow a disturbing pattern of mountain accidents, with Alpine Rescue reporting thirteen fatalities among backcountry enthusiasts during the first week of February alone.

Meteorological conditions have created particularly hazardous circumstances across the Alpine region. Recent storm systems have deposited fresh snow atop weak foundational layers, while powerful winds have formed unstable snowcaps along the mountain crescent spanning France, Switzerland, and Austria. Courmayeur, the picturesque Olympic venue town of approximately 2,900 residents located 200 kilometers northwest of Milan, now faces renewed scrutiny regarding mountain safety protocols during high-risk periods.

MILAN — A remarkable cultural preservation initiative has brought a 15th-century marble sculpture from storage into public view through an innovative adoption scheme. The ‘Bearded Saint with Book,’ originally crafted for Milan’s iconic Duomo cathedral, now stands proudly displayed behind protective glass at Piazzale Cadorna, headquarters of Lombardy transport company FNM.

The sculpture’s restoration and relocation mark the success of the ‘Adopt a Statue’ program launched in 2020 by Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo, the centuries-old institution overseeing the cathedral’s conservation. This visionary program connects corporate and individual donors with historical artworks requiring restoration, creating a sustainable model for cultural preservation.

Elisa Mantia, the program’s project manager, explained the significance: ‘This project’s uniqueness lies in restoring statues that would otherwise remain in our deposits, bringing them back to their original beauty. They can continue telling the Duomo’s story even in locations distant from the monument itself.’

The adoption process involves formal loan agreements, typically beginning with one-year terms that may be renewed. Each restoration requires authorization from Italy’s cultural heritage authorities, with strict adherence to conservation, insurance, and transport regulations.

The Duomo’s construction history reveals why such programs are necessary. Beginning in 1386 under Gian Galeazzo Visconti’s rule, the cathedral took over five centuries to complete, with artists from different regions and periods contributing statues that now represent a timeline of evolving artistic styles.

FNM President Andrea Gibelli emphasized the broader mission during the February 13 unveiling: ‘Culture can save the world. We want to spread the cultural riches we are fortunate to have, which are often overlooked or not fully appreciated.’

Other successfully adopted sculptures include a 16th-century David, a depiction of Samson and the Lion, and a statue of Saint Matthew the Apostle. The program has preselected approximately thirty additional sculptures eligible for restoration, each chosen for both artistic merit and structural integrity.

The ‘Bearded Saint with Book’ required primarily surface cleaning to remove pollution-based black crust, having sustained no structural damage during its centuries outdoors. All Duomo sculptures originate from Candoglia quarries in Piedmont, with the same marble used consistently since the late 14th century.

As Mantia reflects, ‘Beyond being Milan’s symbol, the Duomo represents its history—a monument that grew with the city, telling its entire story through statues and decorative styles.’

While traditional vacations offer brief respites from work, a growing movement of professionals are embracing extended career breaks known as mini-sabbaticals, adult gap years, or micro-retirements. These transformative pauses—whether taken between jobs, through employer-approved leaves, or as digital nomad adventures—provide substantial mental, physical, and spiritual resets that go far beyond conventional time off.

According to sabbatical experts and individuals who have taken extended breaks, significant barriers prevent many from pursuing this path. Financial constraints, personal responsibilities, and fears of social judgment from colleagues and family members often deter people from hitting pause on their careers to gain new perspectives.

American attitudes toward extended time off differ markedly from European approaches, where rest and free time are culturally prioritized. Kira Schrabram, University of Washington management professor and researcher of meaningful work, notes that EU workers are legally entitled to at least 20 paid vacation days annually. However, more US companies are now offering weeks or months of paid or unpaid leave as retention strategies for valued employees.

Schrabram brought her expertise on burnout to the Sabbatical Project, an initiative founded by Harvard Business School’s DJ DiDonna that promotes sabbaticals as “a sacred human ritual” deserving broader accessibility. Their research with University of Notre Dame’s Matt Bloom identified three distinct sabbatical types through interviews with 50 US professionals: working holidays pursuing passion projects; “free dives” combining adventure with rest periods; and transformative quests undertaken by burned-out individuals.

Despite more than half of interviewees self-funding their breaks, the researchers advocate in Harvard Business Review for employer-sponsored sabbaticals as tools for recruiting, retaining, and developing talented workers. The Sabbatical Project has created coaching networks to support those considering extended leaves, challenging the notion that sabbaticals require employer sponsorship.

Real-world examples demonstrate the transformative potential of extended breaks. Corporate lawyer Roshida Dowe, laid off at 39, spent a year traveling before co-founding ExodUS Summit with Stephanie Perry—a virtual conference helping Black women navigate sabbaticals and international relocation. Their initiative addresses both practical considerations (finances, safety, healthcare) and philosophical aspects (rest value, overcoming intergenerational trauma).

Financial planning expert Taylor Anderson of Vancouver advises clients on sabbatical preparation, noting similar principles apply to retirement savings. She observes that while not everyone can afford extended unpaid time, many potential sabbatical-takers have savings but fear spending them—what she calls understanding “money breathing” patterns of accumulation and expenditure.

For some, sabbaticals catalyze profound life changes. Artists Eric Rewitzer and Annie Galvin discovered their San Francisco gallery break led to permanent relocation after gaining new perspective on work-life balance. Similarly, Gregory Du Bois incorporated regular mini-sabbaticals throughout his IT career by negotiating extended time off with each new employer, ultimately finding these breaks essential for spiritual regeneration and peak performance.

As these experiences demonstrate, extended career breaks are evolving from rare luxuries to strategic tools for personal and professional renewal in an increasingly burnout-prone workforce.