EVENTS: A virtual event will be held in the Food and Agriculture Pavilion at the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 11th at 14.00–15.00 GST to celebrate the International Mountain Day 2024. The virtual event will feature high-level speakers, youth and Indigenous Peoples who will share their perspectives on addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation in mountain regions. Register to participate!
FESTIVAL: Taking place every year in the run-up to or on International Mountain Day on December 11th, the Reading Mountains Festival 2024 will offer us an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the literary and cultural diversity of the Alps. This year, the Festival enters its ninth edition, and if you have never been part of it, we warmly invite you to join in or attend an event! Learn more about the Tenth edition of the Reading Mountains Festival.
Mountain future Award: In celebration of International Mountain Day 2024, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is inviting institutions and individuals over 18 to submit proposals for transformative projects that contribute to a sustainable tomorrow for mountains, for a chance to win the 2024 Mountain Future Award. Project submissions should emphasize the following areas:
Innovation – Innovation should be a key aspect of the project proposal. This could encompass technological (including digital), social, policy, financial, and/or institutional innovations that address complex social, economic and environmental challenges in mountains.
Adaptation – Project proposals should promote climate adaptation. This could include adaptation strategies tailored to mountain ecosystems and communities, resilient agrifood systems, climate smart agriculture, ecosystem-based approaches to natural resource management, the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems or traditional techniques, and the promotion of circular economy.
Youth – The active, meaningful participation of youth in decision-making is essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability of mountain solutions. Project proposals should emphasize youth leadership, such as being youth-led and/or youth-focused, promoting universal and accessible training for young persons in mountains, and empowering young people to be agents of change through digital technology, research and entrepreneurship opportunities that contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of mountain resources.
Along with international recognition, the three awardees will each receive seed funding of USD 5 000, generously provided by the following sponsors: the Arjun Gupta Family Foundation, Forte di Bard, and Polo Museale - Sapienza University of Rome. The winning proposals will also receive project incubation assistance from the FAO Mountain Partnership Secretariat.
The Global Mountain Explorer can help a variety of users – from hikers planning their next adventure, to scientists, resource managers and policy makers seeking information that is often sparse in these prominent yet often understudied landscapes. Mountains occupy anywhere from 12 to 31 percent of the land surface of the Earth, but despite their importance, surprisingly few attempts have been made to scientifically define and map these regions worldwide with detail. Visualizing Mountains!
STATEMENTS: Read the statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on the International Mountain Day 2024 and the Statement by David Cooper Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity International Mountain Day 2024; December 11th.
The Global Mountain Explorer can help a variety of users – from hikers planning their next adventure, to scientists, resource managers and policy makers seeking information that is often sparse in these prominent yet often understudied landscapes. Mountains occupy anywhere from 12 to 31 percent of the land surface of the Earth, but despite their importance, surprisingly few attempts have been made to scientifically define and map these regions worldwide with detail. Visualizing Mountains!
STATEMENTS: Read the statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on the International Mountain Day 2024 and the Statement by David Cooper Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity International Mountain Day 2024; December 11th.
