Membership on the rise

Cusco conference

International mountain day

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

PAST EVENTS

NEW PUBLICATIONS

NOTICEBOARD

New SARD-M Web site

The Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Mountain Regions (SARD-M) Project Team has recently launched a new multi-lingual Web site. Available in English, French and Spanish (and partially in Arabic), the site provides comprehensive news, publications and background documents related to the SARD-M project. The Project Team welcomes any comments or feedback.

Talking about outmigration

The Mountain Forum Radio Project team is currently conducting interviews around Nepal on the subject of outmigration—especially rural-urban migration—a particular issue for mountain communities and until now rarely researched. The team aims to gather ideas, concerns and questions related to outmigration from specific mountain communities before disseminating their findings to other communities through radio programmes. Past broadcasts have covered discussions on mountain identity, the conflict between locals and tourism service providers in Nagarkot, and the Bhatte Danda ropeway. To listen to the latest contributions to the Mountain Forum Radio Project, visit here.

UN recommends assistance to poor mountain countries

UN recommends assistance to poor mountain countries
Mountains are gaining an increasingly high profile on international agendas. A recent UN General Committee meeting on 1 December recommended that the provision of development assistance to poor mountain countries should be included in the General Assembly’s current agenda. It was also suggested that debt relief should be considered as an important means of fighting poverty in these regions. To find out more, read the UN press release.

One of the last surviving Pyrenean bears shot

A hunter In the Vallée d’Aspe, France has shot the very last indigenous female bear living in the Pyrenées. The killing is said to have happened in self defence, yet environmentalists are outraged that hunting was taking place in an area where the bear had been sighted. A total of 15 brown bears are said to survive in the region, since three Slovenian bears were introduced in 1996 to increase numbers. A temporary ban has now been placed on hunting and walking in the area in the hope of saving the cub that fled when its mother was killed. Read more about this story (in French only).

Dam projects threaten lives and cultural heritage

Plans underway to build dams in two very different mountain regions of the world are threatening the homes, livelihoods and culture of local populations. Both targeted areas are designated by UNESCO as world heritage sites, areas of outstanding universal cultural or natural value. In Asia, a major dam planned in the Southwest Province of Yunnan, China will span one of the longest, deepest and narrowest gorges in the world and threatens to displace around 100,000 people. Among these vulnerable populations are the indigenous Naxi people, one of the last surviving matriarchal communities on earth. In Europe, a proposed hydroelectric dam in northern Montenegro will submerge the secluded valley of the Tara River. In a poor country such as Montenegro the problem of securing energy sources is paramount, but environmentalists argue that solutions can be found that have less damaging social and environmental impacts. Find out more about the Yunnan dam and the proposed scheme in Montenegro.

The Vicuna makes a comeback

There has been a phenomenal resurgence in populations of the Vicuna — the small camelids that live in the High Andes. Because of their very valuable fleece, vicunas were nearly hunted to extinction and in the 1960s were registered as an endangered species. However, thanks to the conservation efforts of Peru, Chile and Argentina, the numbers of Vicunas are estimated to have quadrupled in the last forty years. Peru has helped protect the vicuna, in particular, by establishing a National Reserve and sanctuary area in the south-eastern department of Ayacucho.

Issue 6
December 2004

The Mountain Partnership Newsletter

The Mountain Partnership newsletter, ‘Peak to Peak’, is an opportunity to keep you up-to-date with the latest news, activities and events related to the Mountain Partnership. This newsletter is prepared by the Interim Secretariat for the Mountain Partnership and will be sent by e-mail to all members and other interested partners on a monthly basis.

‘Peak to Peak’ has already attracted a positive response and the Interim Secretariat has received contributions and suggestions from Partnership members across the world. Please continue to write to us. We are particularly interested to hear what is happening in your country or organization and look forward to receiving your input at: info@mountainpartnership.org.

Membership on the rise

There are now 43 countries, 14 IGOs and 56 major groups in the Mountain Partnership. The new members include Algeria in the ‘country’ category and the following six major groups: Fondazione Courmayeur, an international research foundation based in Italy; the European Academy (EURAC), an Italian private institute for applied research and further education which hosts the Secretariat of the Alpine Convention; the NTFP Exchange Programme, which supports the development of livelihoods from forest products in South and Southeast Asia; Crescente Fértil, a Brazilian NGO promoting environmental conservation through cultural events and other activities; ProYungas, a non-profit organization dedicated to the sustainable development of the ecoregion of the Argentinian Yungas; and ‘Réseau National des ONGS Camerounaises du Partenariat de la Montagne’, a network of development NGOs from Cameroon.

Cusco conference

The Second Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership, or ‘Cusco Conference’, took place from 28 to 29 October in Cusco, Peru. The meeting, which received generous financial support from the governments of Italy and Switzerland and was hosted by the Government of Peru, attracted 126 participants from national governments, intergovernmental agencies, NGOs and major groups around the world. The two-day Cusco Conference marked a turning point in the development of the Mountain Partnership as it enters a truly operational phase. A series of plenary sessions, working groups and informal roundtables gave participating members the opportunity to assess the scope of the progress made in the year since the first ever global meeting of members (Merano, Italy, October 2003) and to chart the future course of the Mountain Partnership and its dynamic core—the ‘Partnership Initiatives’.

A highlight of the Cusco Conference were breakaway sessions or ‘working groups’ on each of the 12 Mountain Partnership Initiatives: those with thematic focus such as education, gender, policy and law, research, sustainable agriculture and rural development in mountains (SARD-M), sustainable livelihoods, watershed management; and those with regional focus such as the Andes, Central Asia, East Africa, Europe, and Hindu Kush Himalaya. As reported in previous issues of Peak to Peak, members of some of these Initiatives had already met for priority setting and planning exercises prior to Cusco, in workshops organized or supported by the Interim Secretariat. However, the 90-minute breakaway sessions on Initiatives at Cusco brought members of Initiatives and interested observers together to generate project and programme ideas, as well as shape concrete plans for action with assigned roles, suggested timeframes and potential sources of funding. Rapporteurs of these sessions presented brief summaries of the outcomes to the Plenary. These summaries are incuded in the draft summary report of the Cusco Conference, recently sent to Mountain Partnership members for review, which will shortly be posted on the Mountain Partnership Web site.

One other notable highlight of the Cusco Conference was that Mexico, with the support of Cuba, Jamaica and UNDP, solicited the creation of a Partnership Initiative for Central America and the Caribbean. This new Initiative has therefore been included in the group of the geographic Initiatives of the Mountain Partnership.

The definition of the governance for the Mountain Partnership now provides solid foundation for its collaborative activities. Made available in English, French and Spanish at the Cusco Conference, the document on the governance of the Partnership (‘Organization, Membership, Governance’) was officially endorsed by members in Plenary on the first day of the Conference. The Cusco Framework for Action will also now serve as a central document to steer the future action of the Mountain Partnership. The Framework for Action was the theme of a three-week e-consultation amongst members, moderated by the Mountain Forum between August-September. At the Cusco Conference, the Framework for Action was finalized in an open-ended drafting committee and then adopted in the Plenary as the ‘Cusco Framework for Action’.

The final political outcome of the Cusco Conference was the Declaration of the Andes. This document re-affirms the common vision and commitment of members to improve mountain lives and environments, and concludes with a call for members to take action and implement the Cusco Framework for Action with a view to promoting sustainable mountain development. Participants were invited to provide input and comments to this document in the final session of the Plenary. These contributions were subsequently integrated into the final version of the Declaration of the Andes which, like the Cusco Framework for Action, will be made available in English, French and Spanish to members in the near future.

In addition to these outcomes, the Cusco Conference was distinctive for the flexibility it allowed members to network, share information and exchange experiences. Both days of the Conference concluded with informal roundtable discussions on a wide variety of topics, ranging from enhancing connectivity in remote mountain communities through broadband technologies, to building and sustaining partnerships for geographic learning, regional cooperation between mountain ranges for sustainable development (including the example of the Alpine-Carpathian Partnerships), the potential of debt relief to enhance sustainable mountain development and the role of microfinance for improving livelihood opportunities in mountain communities. Information and links to these topic areas will shortly be available on the Mountain Partnership Web site.

Funding mountain activities

The Mountain Partnership Initiatives are taking shape and moving into action. Members have started developing joint projects and activities across the regions, but there is a clear need to identify financial resources to support these activities. As part of its mandate to provide members with information about the availability of funds for mountain activities from all possible sources, the Interim Secretariat for the Mountain Partnership, in collaboration with the FAO Forestry Department, is making available an on-line database of funding sources. The database, a component of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) Sourcebook on Funding for Sustainable Forest Management, is part of FAO’s overall contribution to the Mountain Partnership. The Interim Secretariat is now further developing and tailoring this existing database, in collaboration with members, to better match the priority areas of the Mountain Partnership, and will enlarge it to include additional funding sources. The database will be updated and adapted on a regular basis to provide the most current information to members. While this initial adaptation work on the Mountain Partnership Funding Database is underway, members are encouraged to start using the existing resources of the database now and to send any comments and suggestions to: info@mountainpartnership.org.

Sharing knowledge about Initiatives through the Mountain Partnership Web site

An improved section on the Partnership Initiatives has been launched in the Mountain Partnership Web site. Users of this section can access details of members, along with links to relevant information resources (Web sites, reports, publications, case studies). The Interim Secretariat continues to develop the content and functions of these Web pages, in close collaboration with key partners such as the Mountain Forum, and welcomes any input at: info@mountainpartnership.org.

International mountain day

Celebrating International Mountain Day at FAO

FAO will observe International Mountain Day at its Rome Headquarters on Friday, 10 December with a special event, entitled ‘Peace on High’. This event will feature a keynote statement from S. Frederick Starr, Chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, Johns Hopkins University (USA), along with presentations by Catherine Cooke, President and CEO, The Mountain Institute and Alan Blackshaw, President, International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA), both of whose organizations are members of the Mountain Partnership. Also participating will be representatives from the Government of Switzerland and the Italian Minister of Regional Affairs, who first proposed that the UN dedicate a special day to mountains.

Celebrating International Mountain Day around the world

Among the many celebrations of International Mountain Day being held around the world, an event is being organized at the Espace San Bernardo, near Bourg St. Maurice in the French and Italian Alps. In a bid to promote peace and care of the environment, the world’s longest chain of skiers will be skiing through the area and across national boundaries.Funds collected during the event will help plant around 10,000 fir trees in the area. For more information contact: v.fontaine@panamemarketingservices.fr.

Mountain Wilderness International will mark International Mountain Day with a lecture and slide show entitled ‘Oxus – Mountains for Peace’ to be held in Chambéry, France on 11 December. The event will recount the organization’s expedition to the highest summit of Afghanistan in 2003, with the aim of preparing the way for the reintroduction of tourism in the area. To find out more about the event, contact Hugues Thiebault at: coordination@mountainwilderness.org.

The Mountain Group at FAO is interested in hearing how other countries, organizations and groups observe International Mountain Day 2004. Send your news, stories and photos to Mountain-Day@fao.org.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

The International Symposium on Highland Development, Chiang Mai, Thailand, 8-10 December 2004

Finding viable and sustainable alternatives to drug production in mountains is one of the key aims of the forthcoming International Symposium on Highland Development. Organized by Thailand’s Royal Project, the meeting aims to launch a new collaborative network dedicated to sharing knowledge of sustainable highland development and drug-crop reduction through dedicated training and human-resource development programmes. Visit the Symposium Web site.

International Workshop on ‘Education for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions’, Ahmedabad, India , 18-20 January 2005

Organized by the Centre for Environment Education Himalaya in Ahmedabad, the workshop aims to identify areas where more efforts are needed to raise public awareness of the uniqueness of mountains and the difficulties faced by mountain communities, and will stress the importance of education as a vital tool for sustainable mountain development. For further information, visit the Web site of the Centre for Environment Education Himalaya, or contact Dr Abdesh Gangwar at: ceehimalaya@ceeindia.org.

International Year of Microcredit 2005

Microcredit and microfinance have already changed and revitalized the lives of individuals and communities in the world’s poorest countries. Access to even modest financial services can empower people to fight their way out of poverty and allows easier access to school fees, health care, nutrition or housing. Yet studies have shown that of the 4 billion people who live on less than $1400 a year, only a fraction have access to basic financial services. With this huge unmet demand, the UN Year of Microcredit 2005, jointly coordinated by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), is calling upon the international community to build inclusive financial sectors and strengthen the powerful, but often untapped, entrepreneurial spirit that exists in impoverished communities. For guidelines and inspiration for participation, visit the official Web site of the International Year of Microcredit. To learn more about the potential role of microfinance in improving lives and livelihoods, visit the Web site of Mountain Partnership member PlaNet Finance.

PAST EVENTS

World Conservation Congress warns: Himalaya region under threat from global warming, Bangkok, Thailand, 17-25 November 2004

The effects of climate change on the world’s mountain ecosystems was a major theme of the recent World Conservation Congress organized by Mountain Partnership member IUCN. Environmentalists attending the conference warned that little was being done to monitor the state of glaciers in the Himalayas which are melting due to global warning and increasing the risk of major floods.Hailed as the world’s largest conservation gathering, the Congress included a well-attended workshop on conservation and sustainable development in mountain areas, which featured a presentation on the work of the Mountain Partnership, as well as the participation of member, ICIMOD.Visit the World Conservation Congress Web site.

Fourth European Mountain Convention, Rodez, France, 25-26 November 2004

Some 400 participants, including representatives from more than 20 European countries, the European Commission and the Interim Secretariat for the Mountain Partnership met recently in Rodez, France for a two-day conference to discuss the future of Europe’s mountains. Organized by Mountain Partnership member, Euromontana, the meeting urged the need to portray mountains in a more positive light, as areas with enormous potential for Europe rather than simply as areas of “natural handicap”. The new challenges facing mountain regions, in the face of expanding EU membership, were also discussed. Representatives of the Secretariat for the Mountain Partnership and the SARD-M project (a leading member of the SARD-M Initiative) made presentations during one session of the Convention. For further information, visit the Euromontana Web site.

International Meeting of the World Mountain People Association, Turin, Italy, 2-3 December 2004

The World Mountain People Association (WMPA) recently held its 2nd Executive Board Plenary Session to assess activities during 2004 and develop priorities for 2005. Importantly, the meeting was also a forum for discussions on the international project for a mountain label, which aims to help to protect and promote mountain products for the improved livelihoods of mountain communities. Visit the Web site. (site is currently unavailable)

NEW PUBLICATIONS

Himalayan Perceptions: Environmental Change and the Well-Being of Mountain People, by Jack D. Ives (London and New York: Routledge, 2004) is a timely contribution to the current debates centred around global warming and the effects on Mount Everest and other mountain ecosystems. Read the abstract and order.

NOTICEBOARD

OneWorld South Asia

OneWorld South Asia is an electronic network that brings together organizations and groups working for human rights and sustainable development from around the world. In January 2005, OneWorld South Asia is launching a global monthly newsletter with its first issue dedicated to climate change and governments’ responses to global warming. For further information, visit the Web site.

Call for papers: Conference on Global Change in Mountain Regions, 1-5 October 2005

Scientists will gather at the Open Science Conference on Global Change in Mountain Regions in Perth, Scotland next October to communicate research findings and produce a framework plan for long-term research on global change in mountain regions. Scientists working in relevant fields are invited to submit proposals now for panels, papers and posters. For further details and deadlines, go to the Conference Web site.