International Mountain Day
International Mountain Day is an opportunity to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build partnerships that will bring positive change to the world's mountains and highlands. It was the UN General Assembly who designated 11 December, from 2003 onwards, as 'International Mountain Day'. This decision results from the success of the UN International Year of Mountains in 2002, which increased global awareness of the importance of mountains, stimulated the establishment of national committees in 78 countries and strengthened alliances through promoting the creation of the International Partnership for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions, known as the 'Mountain Partnership (WSSD, Johannesburg, 2 September 2002). FAO was the designated lead coordinating agency for International Year of Mountains and is mandated to lead observance of International Mountain Day.
International Mountain Day 2011 Objectives:
The International Mountain Day is observed with a view to encourage global community to conduct events to bring in limelight the significance of sustainable mountain development on this particular date. Its maiden observance was witnessed on December 11, 2003. International Mountain Day, 2009 aimed to increase awareness about the high statistics of natural hazards in mountain areas and the high vulnerability of communities living in mountain areas. It also drew the attention to consistent agricultural, forestry and pasture practices which is the key components of risk reduction along with the need to increase combine strategies and policies of national level.
International Mountain Day 2011 Symbols:
The symbol of this day comprised of three equal sided triangles, each one having two separate points on a single horizontal line and one point indicated upwards. The triangles are basically black and represent mountains. The triangle placed on the left carries a blue "diamond" shape at the top, displaying snow at the peak of a mountain. The middle triangle contains an orange circle at the center, highlighting resources that are extracted from the earth of mountains. The triangle on the right showcases a small green triangle at the lower right hand bottom.
Manifestations:
This manifests the vegetations that mountains give us. Beneath the three triangles a black stripe is displayed having written "11 December" and the words "International Mountain Day" in two colors of United Nations'. This symbol is inspired by the symbol for the International Year of Mountains.
The themes of previous years as follows:
2024- "Mountain solutions for a sustainable future- innovation, adapation, youth & beyond"
2023- "Restoring Mountains Ecosystem"
2022- "Women Move Mountains"
2021- "Sustainable Mountain Tourism"
2020- "Protecting Mountain Biodiversity"
2019- "Mountains matter for Youth"
2018- "Mountains matter"
2017- "Mountains under Pressure: Climate, hunger, migration"
2016- "Mountain Cultures"
2015- "Promoting Mountain Products for better livelihoods"
2014- "Mountain farming and its myriad dimensions"
2013- "Mountains - Key to a Sustainable Future". The focus will be on celebrating how mountains are crucial in moving the world towards sustainable economic growth in the context of poverty eradication, and on drawing attention to their generally sustainable and low-emission production models. We believe this theme will help in raising awareness on how new opportunities can bring benefits to highland and lowland communities without contributing to the degradation of mountain socio-ecosystems. In particular, within the follow-up to Rio +20 and the ongoing process on sustainable development goals, we would like to continue underlining how the goods and services deriving from mountain regions are essential for sustainable development.
2011- Disaster Risk Management in Mountains - those targets to raise awareness regarding the enhancing number of natural disasters in mountain landscape and the accelerating vulnerability of mountain people to disasters. It attracts the attention of governments to the need to establish climate change adaptation policies that simmer down the risks of hazards in mountain landscape.
2010- Mountain minorities and indigenous peoples - It aims to raise awareness about indigenous peoples and minorities who live in mountain environments and the relevance of their cultural heritage, traditions and customs.
2009- Disaster Risk Management in Mountains - aims to raise awareness on the high number of natural hazards in mountain areas and the high vulnerability of mountain communities.
2008 - Food security in mountains - is an apt occasion to reflect on how hard it is for mountain people to consistently get adequate and nutritious food to lead healthy and active lives. Priorities for improving food security in mountains include promoting and expanding traditional mountain crops; safeguarding indigenous land use practices; improving breeding programmes of mountain-adapted livestock; better market access; and mountain-specific public policy, developed with the participation of mountain people.
2007 - Facing Change: Climate Change in Mountain Areas - to increase awareness that global climate change is a reality now, that mountains are particularly affected, and that this has important implications for humankind beyond mountain areas.
2006 - Managing Mountain Biodiversity for Better Lives - promotes awareness and action for the sustainable management of mountain biodiversity for the benefit of all.
2005 - Sustainable Tourism for Poverty Alleviation in Mountain Areas - to heighten the awareness about the perils and potentials of tourism in mountain areas amongst a wide audience. While tourism has opened up a number of attractive prospects for many mountain communities (better income, new markets, cultural exchanges, etc.), it also often has a destructive impact on the environment or the existence of the mountain communities, particularly amongst the poorer sections of the population.
2004 - Peace: Key to Sustainable Mountain Development - emphasizes the importance of peace in ensuring poverty reduction, sustained and sustainable livelihoods, and adequate food supply.
“The Great Smoky Mountains are a sanctuary for the Cherokee people. We have always believed that the mountains and streams provide all that we need for survival. We hold these mountains sacred, believing that the Cherokees were chosen to take care of the mountains as the mountains take care of us."
2003 -Mountains, Source of Freshwater" - which also links to this year's UN International Year of Freshwater. More than half the world's people rely on mountain water to grow food, produce electricity, sustain industries and, most importantly, to drink. All the major rivers in the world - from the Rio Grande to the Nile - have their headwaters in mountains. Careful management of mountain ecosystems and water resources they support has never been more important to our long-term security and survival.
Jerry Wolfe, Cherokee Elder, 2000
“We take an offering to the mountain, the patron of the animals, because the mountain looks after the animals and we have absolute faith in him for the welfare of our animals and ourselves."