We are all mountain people

Whether we live at sea level or at the highest elevations, we are all mountain people. We are connected to mountains and are affected by mountains in more ways than we can imagine. Mountains provide most of the world's fresh water, harbour as much or more biodiversity than any other areas and are home to at least one in ten people. Yet, war, poverty, hunger, climate change and environmental degradation are threatening the web of life that mountains support. The International Year of Mountains is an opportunity to take steps to protect mountain ecosystems, to promote peace and stability in mountain regions and to help mountain people attain their goals and aspirations. By taking care of the world's mountains, we help to ensure the long-term security and survival of all that is connected to them, including ourselves.

Introduction

By its resolution A/RES/53/24, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the year 2002 as the International Year of Mountains. The resolution "invites FAO to serve as the lead agency for the Year, in collaboration with Governments, UNEP, UNDP, UNESCO and other relevant organizations of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations"

What Is The International Year of Mountains
In November of 1998, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2002 the International Year of Mountains to increase international awareness of the importance of mountain ecosystems. It assigned the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) to the role of lead agency in collaboration with governments, NGOs and other UN organizations.

Through the International Year of Mountains:

  • Mountain areas were recognized as important planetary water towers and repositories of biodiversity and cultural heritage.

  • Managing fragile mountain ecosystems is on an equal footing with climate change, tropical deforestation and desertification.

  • Countries all over the world can promote the conservation and sustainable development of mountain regions and in so doing ensure the well-being of mountain and lowland communities.

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The International Year of Mountains provides a unique opportunity to move mountain issues higher on the global agenda. Rather than a period of isolated events, it should serve as a springboard for long-term, sustained and concrete action that will extend far beyond 2002.

Main Objective

The main objective of the Year is to increase awareness of the importance of sustainable mountain development. The proposal for an International Year of Mountains (IYM) was made by the President of Kyrgyzstan at the occasion of the international conference on "Mountain Research - Challenges and Directions for the 21st Century" held in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan, 1996) which was sponsored inter alia by the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS), UNESCO and the Aga Khan Foundation.

United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/53/24

The General Assembly,
Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 1998/30 of 29 July 1998.
Recalling also the relevant provisions of Agenda 21 on sustainable mountain development.
Noting the work already undertaken to achieve sustainable mountain development by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, including its role as task manager for chapter 13 of Agenda 21,

1. Proclaims the year 2002 as the International Year of Mountains;

2. Invites the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to serve as the lead agency for the Year, in collaboration with Governments, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and other relevant organizations of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations;

3. Calls upon Governments, nationals and international organizations, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to make voluntary contributions in accordance with the guidelines of the Economic and Social Council for international years and anniversaries and to lend other forms of support to the International Year of Mountain;

4. Encourages all Governments, the United Nations system and all other actors to take advantage of the International Year of Mountains to increase awareness of the importance of sustainable mountain development;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session a report on the state of the preparations for the International Year of Mountains.

Around the World

As of December 11, 2001, 46 countries have established or are planning to establish an IYM national committee or a similar mechanism. International Year of Mountains events are being planned around the world. To learn more about international initiatives, visit the United Nations IYM website at: www.mountains2002.org.

What does the United Nations hope to achieve?

The United Nations objectives of the International Year of Mountains are to: 

  • ensure present and future well-being of mountain communities by promoting conservation and sustainable development in mountain areas;

  • increase awareness of, and knowledge on, mountain ecosystems, their dynamics and functioning, and their overriding importance in providing a number of strategic goods and services essential to the well-being of both rural and urban, highland and lowland people, particularly water supply and food security;

  • promote and defend cultural heritage of mountain communities societies, and

  • pay attention to frequent conflicts in mountain areas and promote peace-making in those regions.

The UN’s expected global results of the International Year of Mountains include: 

  • Increased awareness about the importance of mountains, the fragility of their resources and the necessity of sustainable approaches to mountain development, through promotion of information tools, such as media products, publications and training material.

  • Long-term research and/or development projects initiated to address critical issues in mountain areas; sustainable use of resources (water, soils, forests, minerals), impacts of climate change, biodiversity conservation, protected area management, ecotourism, cultural heritage, sustainable mountain economy.

  • Clear signs of improved livelihood systems in mountain areas. Consensus reached on principles, instruments and best practices for sustainable mountain development and conservation.

The UN’s expected regional level results include:

  • Guidelines and appropriate policies for sustainable mountain development and conservation developed and implementation phase begin in a number of countries. 

  • Training material and curricula on mountain-related issues developed, widely used and integrated into the educational programs of schools, universities, alpine clubs, sport clubs, tourism organizations, agricultural schools, etc. 

  • Mechanisms, such as National Committees, in place to monitor the implementation of sustainable mountain development at the national level. Collection of disaggregated data (including by gender) on mountain areas at the national level initiated. 

The UN’s expected local level results include: 

  • Increased number of local initiatives and operational activities effectively targeting sustainable mountain development, reasonable use of resources, income generating activities and improvement of livelihood opportunities. 

  • Activities targeting particularly indigenous people or other vulnerable groups (low-income groups and women.) 

  • Successful mechanisms in place that ensure local empowerment and participatory approaches in the use of mountain resources. 

The UN Resolution 
Report of UN Secretary-General on IYM 2002
2002 Tokyo Declaration for the International Year of Mountains

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