To promote awareness for mountain communities around the globe, International Mountain Day is marked on December 11. This year, it will be celebrated on the theme of the program will be ‘Sustainable Mountain Tourism’. 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.
Commemorating this day, Madhya Pradesh Mountaineering Association (MPMA) also spread awareness about the day giving a message to the world. As per the Association, International Mountain Day is a way to preserve the natural, cultural and spiritual heritage and to build alliances that will bring positive change to mountain peoples and environments around the world.Mountaineer Ratnesh Pandey, the first person to recite Indian National Anthem at Mount Everest opines that Mountain conservation is an important aspect in the long-term development of nature and this day is marked to let us know its importance.
Unfortunately, mountains are under threat from climate change and decline in mountain manners. Thus, it is vital for the people and young trekkers to know about the significance of mountains. International Mountain Day is a perfect day to inform about mountain and biodiversity conservation. Mountaineer Bhawna Dehariya Mishra who is among the first women from Madhya Pradesh to scale Mount Everest stated that raising awareness about mountains is important today to let people know about the opportunities and constraints in mountain development. Also, it is a way to highlight the significance of mountains.