News

International Mountain Day 2013 celebrated worldwide

24.01.2014

International Mountain Day (IMD), celebrated on 11 December 2013, was organized around the theme of how mountains are key to sustainable development.  Over 50 events were held worldwide, with various mountain communities  holding climbing events, festivals, photo exhibitions, a mountain product fair and conferences all underlining how mountains are crucial for humanity, both as providers of essential goods and services and as recreation spots . While the event is a global celebration, for many mountain countries it was also a chance to reflect on their own sustainable mountain development,  national laws and plans as well as to plan the way ahead.

The occasion was also an opportunity to call to action mountain countries, organizations and communities to help ensure that mountains are included in the Post-2015 development agenda, as Deputy Director General for Natural Resources of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Maria Helena Semedo underlined in her video message.  

The Mountain Partnership produced an animation video on why mountains matter in six languages that was widely disseminated by the media and received over 5 000 views on YouTube, and FAO tweets tagged #Mountains2013 reached 47 500 people.   Global press and media coverage of the day was also extensive, including a radio interview in Spanish with MPS Coordinator Thomas Hofer.  

International Mountain Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003. FAO is the agency for the preparation coordination of this celebration and is mandated to lead observance of it at the global level. The Watershed Management and Mountains programme of the Forestry Department is responsible for coordinating this international celebration. Read more