Jacques Balmat Jacques Balmat Jacques Balmat, called "le Mont Blanc" (1762–1834) was a mountaineer, a Savoyard mountain guide, born in the Chamonix valley in Savoy, at this time part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. A chamois hunter and collector of crystals, Balmat completed the first ascent of Mont Blanc with physician Michel-Gabriel Paccard on 8 August 1786. For this feat, King Victor Amadeus III gave him the honorary title "le Mont Blanc". Balmat and Paccard's ascent of Mont Blanc was a major accomplishment in the early history of mountaineering. C. Douglas Milner wrote "The ascent itself was magnificent; an amazing feat of
Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union Summit Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union Summit The European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean Summit (EU-LAC) is a biennial meeting of heads of state and government of Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union. In the first EU-LAC summit, held in Rio de Janeiro between 28 June and 29 June 1999, participant nations agreed to develop a strategic partnership focused on strengthening democracy, the rule of law, international peace and political stability. The second meeting was carried out in Madrid in 2002, the third in Guadalajara in 2004, the fourth in Vienna in 2006 and the