News

Mountains are the ‘magic’ in this world

27.01.2015

This year the Americas took centre stage in the celebrations of International Mountain Day (IMD) with advocacy and other events held in New York, United States, Lima, Peru and more.

The Permanent Mission of Argentina, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) joined together to host an IMD observance event at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York. The theme of the celebration was “Perspectives on mountains and rural development in a post-2015 world”. Speakers reflected on the role of mountain family farming in reducing poverty, feeding families and communities, and ensuring the sustainability of natural resources. MP Ambassador Jake Norton showed a film clip about Mount Kenya as a Water Tower and told participants that mountains are ‘a cornerstone of humanity’. “They are, indeed, the magic in this world. It is high time we recognize this with action,” he added.

At the 20th Conference of the Parties (COP20) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), a high level side event was organized by the governments of Bhutan, Guinea, Kyrgyzstan, Peru and Switzerland together with the Consortium for Sustainable Development of the Andean Ecoregion (CONDESAN), FAO, The Mountain Institute and the MPS. Maria Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director General, proposed climate smart agriculture as a way to ensure sustainable rural development and improve resilience. “Facing climate change offers an opportunity to make mountain agriculture more sustainable and to promote new ways of reducing poverty and hunger,” said Semedo.

The Mountain and Water Pavilion was organized by the Government of Peru with support from the Government of Switzerland and other partners including MINAM and CONDESAN, resulted in calls for more climate finance and respect for human rights in several keynote speeches delivered by policy makers and experts during the UN climate change conference. On IMD, civil society organizations, including CONDESAN, Foundation Pangea, Crescente Fértil , Red de Agroindustria Rural del Perú (REDAR Perú), Huayhuash Peru and Fundación Agreste, held an event to showcase their activities at the Pavilion.

IMD in Costa Rica was celebrated in Bajo Zúñiga on 11 December by the National Meteorological Institute, FUNDECOR , the National System of Conservation Areas, the sub regions of Grecia and San Ramón and FAO’s Costa Rica office. This year's theme was sustainable family farming and focused on how mountain agriculture is mainly based on family, as mountain areas are efficiently managed by smallholders. Discussions, a visit to a local farm and a walk guided by the Mountaineering Club and Costa Rica’s Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (MINAE) officials were carried out. Among the participants was the FAO representative in Costa Rica, who gave a presentation on sustainable family farming. The event ended with a traditional lunch served on banana leaves.

Utah Valley University (UVU) , the Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF), the Mountain Institute, Gruppman International Music Institute and the City of Orem celebrated IMD for the fifth consecutive year at UVU on 5 December 2014. UVU students focused the conference on advocating for sustainable mountain development, the role of quinoa in the Andes and the importance of family farming to mountain communities in Utah. This year prominent mountaineers, Reinhold Messner and Conrad Anker, joined the celebrations. In addition to the conference, UVU held a high school essay contest on sustainable mountain development. Every year the event attracts a growing number of participants, including local businesses, non-governmental organizations, government officials and individuals.

In Chile, the National Forestry Corporation of the Ministry of Agriculture (CONAF) and the National Tourism Service (SERNATUR) at Atacama held an touring/camping excursion in Nevado Tres Cruces National Park in Copiapó, an area in which mountain tourism has increased in recent years. In addition, a photographic exhibition and a seminar were held.

Check out the flickr gallery