International Mountain Day is observed annually on December 11 every year. It is celebrated with full enthusiasm among the global community. It highlights the role mountains play in our life whether it is directly or indirectly.
To know more let us take you to a brief analysis regarding this day.
International Mountain Day History
International Mountain Day or World Mountain Day was first celebrated in the year 2003 on December 11. In 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Agenda 21, Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development of Chapter 13 was adopted. It got a lot of attention from people around the world and made them realize how important the roles mountains play in our life.
Seeing that much support from the people across the world, the United Nations General Assembly declared the year 2002 as the “United Nations International Year of Mountains”. The organization declared that from the year 2003 World Mountain Day will be observed every year on December 11.
World Mountain Day Chapter 13 of Agenda 21
Agenda 21 was adopted in the year 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. The Conference is also known as the “Earth Summit”, which was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is basically an important document and collection of 40 chapters that highlight the need for an action plan for sustainable growth for every aspect during the 21st century.
Chapter 13 of Agenda 21 is “Managing Fragile Ecosystem: Sustainable Mountain Developments”. It is focused on spreading awareness about mountains, and how important they play in the growth and survival of the world.
The Mountain ecosystem contains biodiversity and is home to many endangered species. This ecosystem is rapidly changing due to rapid loss of habitat, increasing tourism, and deteriorating air quality. More than 50% of the world’s population is affected by mountain ecology, but relatively little attention has been paid to this fact.
World Mountain Day Significance
International Mountains Day has been playing a very critical role in addressing the issue of mountains, their ecology. And it affects mountain tourism to some extent. Over the years mountain tourism has increased. People show their interest to travel to mountains instead of lowlands.
It is a good sign for the people who live there as tourism also boosts the economy. But the travelers should maintain the sanctity of the mountains alive, while they are traveling there.
Because no doubt mountain tourism boosts the economy but it is also responsible for deteriorating mountain ecology due to the irresponsible behavior of tourists toward the environment. It is the responsibility of every individual to keep our environment safe, keep its biodiversity alive.
World Mountain Day 2022 Theme
The theme for this year’s World Mountain Day will be ‘Women Move Mountains’, last year was ‘Sustainable Mountain Tourism’. This year’s Mountain day will highlight the importance of mountain tourism, as it attracts 15 to 20% of global tourism.
To celebrate this day the hashtag #MountainsMatter will be used to attract people’s attention and tell them the importance of this day.
