Celebrating IMD in Africa
20.01.2016
Several events took place on the African continent to honour International Mountain Day (IMD) 2015. In Algeria, the association Assirem Gouraya organized the fourth edition of the Mountain National Festival, putting the spotlight on the Babor Range, urging public authorities in charge of sustainable mountain development policies give it the adequate attention it deserves. The Association for the Protection of the Environment of Ait-Oumalou also held several activities, such as a sale and an exhibition of mountain products (honey, dry figs, prickly pears, olive oil, bottled water); a conference and testimonials; a book display, featuring publications related to the mountain products theme; and a hike in the mountains.
In Mali, the Mountain Forum of West Africa, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Mali and the National Directorate of Water and Forests, celebrated IMD by honouring the role of women in the nation’s socio-economic development through their traditional knowledge of genetic resources of mountain biological diversity. Female mountain dwellers of Mali use their knowledge to develop income-generating activities such as medicines, crafts, livestock, agriculture and more. This year IMD was celebrated in Mali with the intention to promote this traditional knowledge.
In Cameroon, the International Centre for Environmental Education and Community Development (ICENECDEV) organized awareness-raising workshops with students of the environmental and health secondary school club on the theme of IMD, to educate tudents on the importance of mountains. ICENECDEV organized a quiz competition for IMD and awarded prizes (text books and magazines) to the participating students.
The Berkane Provincial Tourism Council in Morocco celebrated IMD with a conference aimed at raising awareness as well as an eco-tourist hiking event for the visually impaired in the mountains of Beni Snassen. Also in Morocco, the Municipality of Asni organized a day-long festivity comprising a guided tour, a hike led by the Association of Mountain Guides of Imlil, a fair, an on-site lunch and a discussion on the promotion of mountain products.
The non-governmental organization Pont-Togo, organized for the first time in Togo an event on the importance of mountains to the quality of life and on the mountain products Togo has to offer and, more specifically, in the Pya prefecture in the northeast part of the country. Four main activities were carried out: an awareness tour on IMD in Agou, Badou, Atakpame and Pya; a launch of the festivities in Agou; a celebration of the day in Pya; and a “night of mountain producers”.
Photo: Mountain Forum of West Africa
More pictures of IMD celebrations are available on the Mountain Partnership’s Flickr gallery.
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