Back to events

ICIMOD at the IUCN World Conservation Congress: strengthening commitments to mountain biodiversity conservation

Programmes

Strategic Group: Regional Action and Global Advocacy , Strategic Group: Resilient Economies and Landscapes & HI-REAP

Venue

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Date & Time

09 October 2025 to 15 October 2025

Contact

Clara Neltoft , Bandana Shakya & Srijana Rijal

Background

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is joining the largest gathering of nature conservation experts, leaders, and decision-makers from around the world for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress 2025.

A once-every-four-years gathering, the Congress’ Forum is the largest knowledge marketplace for conservation and sustainable development science, practice, and innovation. Through thematic sessions, the Forum addresses the economic, social, scientific, and technical aspects of a broad range of nature conservation issues. ICIMOD is taking part in powering transformative conservation. Highlighting ICIMOD’s mountain biodiversity conservation and sustainable work, it will be organising two dedicated, ICIMOD-led sessions.

IUCN World Conservation Congress

A once-every-four-years gathering of nature conservation experts, leaders and decision-makers from around the world. Visit the link below for official IUCN Congress page.

LEARN MORE

ICIMOD-led sessions

Date: 9 October 2025
Time: 16:00 – 17:00 [Gulf Standard Time]
Venue: IUCN Asia Pavilion

In this interactive 45-minute session, you will discover how youth and Indigenous innovation are transforming Asia’s vast mountain systems through scalable Nature-based Solutions and Forest Landscape Restoration efforts. You will learn from real-world cases that connect local action to global resilience and get inspired to adopt, replicate, and collaborate across regions.

Date: 10 October 2025
Time: 11:00-11:45 [Gulf Standard Time]
Venue: IUCN Business Pavilion

This interactive 45-minute panel discussion session will explore how the Hindu Kush Himalaya can act as a frontier for green enterprise and innovation opportunities in the context of mountains. Real-world stories from entrepreneurs and investors will be combined with strategic dialogue on how cross-sector partnerships can accelerate investment in mountain regions.

ICIMOD will also join sessions and side events as follows:

Date	Event	Speaker/facilitator	Pavilion
10 October 2025 Time: 15:00–15:45	Guiding restoration for resilient societies: Stepwise, Nature-Positive approaches linking ecosystem status and species selection in Asia	Srijana Joshi Rijal, Ecosystem Specialist/IUCN Focal Point, ICIMOD	IUCN Asia Pavilion
10 October Time: TBC	Reimagining the climate narrative: Nurturing resilience	Bandana Shakya, Landscapes Lead, ICIMOD	BBC Media Action
12 October 2025 Time: 15:00 – 15:30	Securing a resilient future for Asia’s rangelands: Conservation, restoration, and sustainable livelihoods	Srijana Joshi Rijal, ICIMOD	IUCN Asia Pavillion