International Mountain Day? What’s in there to celebrate it? After all, mountains are giant natural rock structures! Let’s dig in!
Mountains, irrespective of geographical existence, play a significant role in the livelihood of several people. Over 20 percent of the planet’s surface is accounted for mountains. And, there are several communities/inhabitants that live around these giant natural structures. These human population depend on mountains for water and nutrition. However, drastic advances in climatic change and natural calamities have led to relatively disturbing phenomenon. As the global temperatures are constantly on a steady rise, the glaciers are melting at an alarming rate. Though, most of us don’t really understand the crux of the problem, the reality is that the sea levels are rapidly on the rise. What this means is that the cities along the coastal regions are vulnerable to severe flooding.
International Mountain Day 2019: Theme
This very phenomenon caught the attention of global community and the United Nations, in the year 2002, declared as the UN International Day of Mountains. Since then, every year, International Mountain Day is observed on December 11 with unique themes associated with each such occasion. The theme for the year 2019 is ‘Mountains Matter for Youth’.
Let’s try to understand what the phrase ‘Mountains Matter for Youth’ means? For people living on the mountains, life is hard. Predominantly, their livelihood depends on irrigation and agriculture. While the impacts of climate change can be felt all around the globe, it’s much harsher for the human settlement up on the mountains, especially for the youth. Majority of youth do not have access to basic education and lack of skill development leads to unemployment. This has lead many youth to migrate from the mountains, which in turn leads to abandoned agriculture and land degradation among many.
Quality education, diverse employment opportunities and public services can ensure a brighter future of the young on the mountains. As the UN theme of the International Mountain Day 2019 reflects on Youth Matters, it is time the youth take lead and demand that the mountains and all the people on it become a priority in developmental agendas.
That’s not all. The mountain roads, especially on the Himalayas, are notoriously treacherous. In regions affected by seasonal monsoon rains, roads may be closed for days, sometimes weeks, causing difficulties for school children who may be forced to cross dangerous landslide-prone areas or take long detours to reach school.
To commemorate International Mountain Day, here’s how nature-based solutions can improve the safety of youth in mountain regions. Eco-safe roads are nature-based solutions which can increase local resilience by mitigating hazards, such as landslides, as well as by supporting and protecting livelihoods.
Himalayan Campaign:
Over the past five years, as a fervent mountain lover and photographer, I have traveled extensively across the many Himalayan ranges capturing the many beautiful photographs!
Do scroll down to see them all! It’s a magnificent collection of Great Himalayan ranges!
3
And, here are few fascinating videos that I have made over the years!
Let me know if you liked this blog in the comments section below.
Feel free to share this blog with family and friends! Hit any of the social media icons you see on the screen to share this blog!
And, do subscribe to my travel blogs! So, you don’t miss out on many such fascinating travel stories!