Mountain Cultures: Celebrating Diversity and Strengthening Identity

In 2002, the UN General Assembly designated 11 December as International Mountain Day to foster understanding and respect for the traditional knowledge and techniques of mountain communities that are key to managing and enhancing fragile mountain ecosystems.

International Mountain Day is an opportunity to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development, and to build partnerships that will bring positive change to the world’s mountains and highlands.

The theme for this year’s International Mountain Day is ‘Mountain Cultures: Celebrating Diversity and Strengthening Identity’.  The associated events seeks to further ICIMOD’s mission to improve lives and livelihoods in the Hindu Kush Himalaya through sustainable development for mountain people.

Programmes

Centre Level Activities  

1. Message from the Director General 
2. Newspaper article for the regional media use, ‘Mountain cultures: celebrating diversity and strengthening identity’ by Nawraj Pradhan and Abhimanyu Pandey
   – http://www.newsnaturebd.com/mountain-cultures-celebrating-diversity-and-strengthening-identity/
   – http://www.kuenselonline.com/mountain-cultures-celebrating-diversity-and-strengthening-identity/
   – http://www.brtnepal.com/2016/12/10/9072/
   – http://greenbarta.com/livelihood/245-mountain-cultures-celebrating-diversity-and-strengthening-identity.html
   – http://www.enewsdesk.in/2016/12/11/international-mountain-day-special/
   – http://dailyasianage.com/ep/2016/12/11/?page=9
3. Knowledge Forum on “Strengthening Mountain Cultures and Identity: Challenges and Opportunities”
4. Photo exhibition: Mountain Culture and Livelihoods
5. Presentation of ICT for Mountain Development Award 2016
6. Presentation of the Best ICIMOD Mountain Film Award at the 14th Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (KIMFF 2016), 8-12 December 2016
7. 3^rd Mountain Festival Nepal, 10-11 December organized by the Nepal Mountaineering Association, International Mountain Museum

• ICIMOD will also participate in a special programme organized by the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The event will feature a special message from David Molden, Director General of ICIMOD, and a photo exhibition on Mountain Cultures and Livelihoods.
• Similarly, the Pakistan Meteorological Department and several university and local government partners are conducting a seminar in celebration of IMD.
• See the United Nations’ note on International Mountain Day 2016 here: http://www.fao.org/lon/upcoming-schedule/detail/en/c/385795/