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On 11 December, the United Nations Environment Programme will host a live Mountains High Virtual Event ‘Adventure for Climate Action’ at 15.30-16.45 CET. The session will offer an ideal platform to showcase the beauty and fragility of mountain ecosystems, the effects of climate change and the urgent need for action.

The Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention gives a stage to mountain literature as a celebration on and in the run up to International Mountain Day, 11 December. For the 6th year running the alpine-wide literary festival, Reading Mountains, pays tribute to the cultural heritage in the Alps. All are invited to participate by organizing an event under the umbrella of the Alpine Convention and registering the event by 30 November.

The National Institute for Glacier and Mountain Ecosystem Research of Peru is organizing a special event in celebration of International Mountain Day. Sixteen institutions are coordinating a communication campaign through social media and a panel discussion on the importance and challenges in mountain areas in Peru. All activities will be conducted in Spanish.

The Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCEs) of Srinagar (India) and Kuching (Sarawak, Malaysia) with support from RCE East Java (candidate), RCE East Kalimantan (Indonesia) and RCE Kyrgyzstan will host a webinar in celebration of International Mountain Day. Deliberations will include: keynote addresses, disaster risk reduction and crisis canagement, training and capacity building, and institutional building by international experts.

Ahead of International Mountain Day, the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) is promoting a series of initiatives, including those led by the United Nations Environment Programme, UIAA member associations, the Mountain Partnership and the Mountain Research Initiative as well as those organized by the UIAA itself – including its flagship sustainability programme, the Mountain Protection Award, and its Carbon Footprint report, to be published soon.

The Asociación para el estudio de la montaña CRYOSANABRIA will celebrate International Mountain Day with a hike up the Peña Trevinca in northern Spain on 11 December. At the end of the climb, two books will be presented: Trevinca desde dentro and Relatos de Trevinca en Sanabria. Due to COVID-19, it is necessary to register to participate in the event by emailing [email protected].

Five digital art shows will coincide with International Mountain Day. The art shows are as follows: Climate Change: Atelier Teymur Rzayev First Digital Climate Change Art Show; Pollution: Clean Air for Blue Skies; Pollution: Selva Ozelli, “Breathe Life”; Biodiversity: Fatma Kadir, "Bird Watching"; and Biodiversity: Fatma Kadir, "Bird Watching 2". 

On 11 December, the Center for Mountain Transitions will hold a Stories of Mountain Action session with seven global universities at 6.00 MST, followed by a class on the SDGs and mountain communities. Festivities conclude at 17.00 with the 2020 Mountain Leader of the Year award presentation. All events will be on Zoom. Questions can be sent to [email protected]. An Instragram contest on mountain biodiversity will happen simultaneaously; use the hashtags #mountainsmatter2020 and #ourmountainstory to enter.

The Canadian Mountain Network (CMN) is organizing a social media contest for International Mountain Day 2020. Starting on 13 November and ending on 11 December, a social media post will be published on CMN’s Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram accounts, and a prize will be awarded to participants. To enter the contest, participants must reply to CMN’s weekly contest post with a relevant photo and description, and like/follow CMN on social media.

Mountaineering Ireland, the national governing body for mountaineering, will announce the winner of the 2020 Mountaineering Ireland Lynam Medal on International Mountain Day.