Tales of lived realities, cultures, and traditions of pastoralists

Pastoralists at the Fifth Yak Festival 2022 in Phalelung, Charrate, Panchthar, Eastern Nepal. Photo: Jitendra Raj Bajracharya/ICIMOD.

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The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Nepal invite you to share stories that highlight pastoral cultures in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.

What kind of stories are we looking for?

For centuries pastoralism has been central to life in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). Pastoralists sustain their livelihood through mobile herding systems that support food security, local economies, and cultural traditions, while also conserving and managing the rangeland ecosystems that they depend on.

Climate change, land use change, and socio-economic factors are placing increasing pressure on pastoral livelihoods and traditional herding.

Your stories will help highlight pastoral cultures in the HKH region that capture the lived realities, cultures, and traditions of pastoral peoples.

Themes for submission

Participants are encouraged to submit stories under the following themes:

1. Pastoralism and livelihoods
   Stories on herding-based livelihoods, livestock products such as milk, cheese and wool production, and their economic contributions to mountain communities
2. Cultural heritage and traditions
   Stories that highlight local rituals, festivals, folklore, and oral traditions
3. Pastoralism and climate change
   Stories that capture how changing environments are affecting pastoralism and adaptation strategies
4. Pastoralism in daily life
   Personal narratives and experiences of growing up in pastoral communities, caring for livestock etc
5. Mobility and transhumance
   Seasonal movements, migration patterns, and traditional herding practices
6. Future of pastoralism
   Perspectives on modernisation, emerging challenges, and other changes shaping the future of pastoralism

Selected stories will be profiled at various events during the International Year of Rangeland and Pastoralist (IYRP) 2026.

Who can participate?

This submission is open to participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. We are looking for real life stories told in your own way.

What can you submit?

You may submit one of the following:

1. Written: Short stories or personal narratives (maximum 1,000 words).
2. Multimedia: Video (preferably high definition/HD) or audio (MP3, AAC and WAV are preferred), with a maximum duration of six minutes

Terms and conditions

• Please ensure English subtitles in video submission. Use any HKH language for audio, and provide a brief English summary of the story.
• Please submit your written stories in English or any HKH language. For submissions in an HKH language, an English translation is preferred.
• The story must be original, unpublished, and authentic, based on real-life experiences or documented oral histories. Each participant can submit multiple stories one under each theme.
• Participants should secure permission from individuals included in their stories or images.
• Entries violating others’ rights, including copyrights, are ineligible. By submitting, participants agree that ICIMOD and its media partners may use, share, reproduce, and adapt their work in any media for educational, promotional, or other standard purposes. Credit will be given accordingly, and participants can request a digital or print copy of any publication featuring their work.

ICIMOD reserves the right to disqualify any submission that undermines the essence of the contest, violates these terms and conditions, or infringes the rights of commons.

How to submit?

Click the link to access the online submission form.

Deadline: 30 April 2026

Contact

For queries, please contact

Samuel Thomas Samuel.Thomas@icimod.org

Jaber Hassan Jaber.Hassan@icimod.org