United Nations (UN)’s International Mountain Day is annually observed across the globe on December 11 to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life.
The theme of International Mountain Day 2022 is ‘Women move mountains’.
- On 16 December 2021, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 2022 as the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development (IYM2022) at the proposal of the Kyrgyz Government
Highlights:
The day is observed to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build alliances that will bring positive change to mountain peoples and environments around the world.
Background:
i. The idea of International Mountain Days began in 1992, with the adoption of Chapter 13 of Agenda 21 titled “Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development” at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
ii. The UNGA has declared the year 2002 as the “International Year of Mountains” and adopted the resolution A/RES/57/245 and declared December 11 as International Mountain Day.
iii. The 1st ever International Mountain Day was observed on 11 December 2003.
International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development 2022:
i. The UNGA resolution on the IYM2022 was sponsored by 94 governments and invited the Mountain Partnership (MP) to facilitate the Year’s observance in collaboration with all relevant organisations [United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), 2021].
ii. The MP is supported by a Secretariat that is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and supported by the Governments of Andorra, Italy and Switzerland.
iii. The IYM2022 represents a unique opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of mountains and mountain people to the planet and sustainable development and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Events:
Thousands of events are held worldwide annually to mark International Mountain Day, ranging from group hikes and outdoor activities to exhibitions, cultural performances, contests, and concerts.
FAO Study:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is to publish a study titled “Mountain women of the world: Challenges, resilience, and collective power”.
- It highlights the stories and voices of mountain women in 8 counties: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Italy, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, and Tanzania.
About the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO):
Director-General- QU Dongyu
Establishment- 1945
Headquarters- Rome, Italy
Members- 194 member states
