International Mountain Day 2021 celebrated with theme of sustainable mountain tourism
By Ramesh Tiwari —-
This year’s International Mountain Day (IMD) is celebrated all over the world with the theme ’ sustainable mountain tourism.’
The Day has been observed every year to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build alliances that will bring positive change to mountain peoples and environments around the world.
The UN General Assembly has designated 11 December, from 2003 onwards, as “International Mountain Day”. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is the coordinating agency for the preparation and animation of this celebration (IMD) and is mandated to lead observance of it at the global level.
The International Mountain Day has its roots in 1992, when the adoption of Chapter 13 of Agenda 21 “Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development” at the United Nations (UN) Conference on Environment and Development put a milestone in the history of mountain development.
The increasing attention to the importance of mountains led the UN General Assembly to declare 2002 the UN International Year of Mountains.
“Sustainable tourism in mountains can contribute to creating additional and alternative livelihood options and promoting poverty alleviation, social inclusion, as well as landscape and biodiversity conservation. It is a way to preserve the natural, cultural and spiritual heritage, to promote local crafts and high value products, and celebrate many traditional practices such as local festivals,” FAO said in a statement.
International Mountain Day is celebrated this year by organizing safe, socially distanced activities, including virtual presentations and events, photo and art competitions, and hikes in different parts of the world.
Mountain destinations attract around 15-20 percent of global tourism. Mountain tourism, particularly when linked to nature and rural tourism, can promote sustainable food systems and value local products.
Tourism, however, is one of the sectors most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, affecting economies, livelihoods, public services and opportunities on all continents.
This crisis can be seen as an opportunity to rethink mountain tourism and its impact on natural resources and livelihoods, to manage it better, and to harness it towards a more resilient, green and inclusive future.
10 December 2021
Photo : Annapurna mountain range , Nepal – Travel Biz News
