On December 11th, the world celebrates a special day – International Mountain Day. The United Nations General Assembly established this day in 2003 to raise awareness of the importance of mountains worldwide, promote sustainable development in mountain regions, and celebrate the contributions of mountains to all humanity. Mountains are not only the treasure house of biodiversity on the earth, but also the source of many rivers, playing a vital role in global climate regulation and water resource circulation. However, with the intensification of global climate change, mountain ecosystems are facing unprecedented challenges.
The International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA) is the world's first international tourism organization with mountain tourism as its theme. On this significant day, IMTA Secretariat sent a congratulatory letter to Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to jointly celebrate International Mountain Day and call on all sectors of the world to strengthen the protection and sustainable development of mountain ecosystems.
The following is the full text of the congratulatory letter:
We are delighted to learn that the theme for the 2024 International Mountain Day is "Mountain Solutions for a Sustainable Future - Innovation, Adaptation, and Youth." This theme underscores the importance of innovative strategies, adaptive approaches, and youth involvement in sustainable mountain solutions. On December 11, alongside global celebrations organized by mountain partners and FAO offices, we commend your efforts in hosting the event, under the theme "Mountain Solutions for a Sustainable Future," at the FAO Headquarters Atrium in Rome, Italy, showcasing diverse and innovative solutions for mountain community development.
The International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA), as the world's first non-governmental, non-profit international organization focusing on mountain tourism, is committed to the mission of "protecting mountain resources, preserving mountain civilization, and promoting the mountain economy to benefit the people living in mountainous regions." We have been actively supporting the sustainable development of international mountain tourism worldwide. Your organization's significant contributions to global mountain sustainability, climate change mitigation, poverty reduction, and biodiversity protection have notably raised global awareness for mountain conservation, contributed to mountain economic growth, and benefited mountain populations, paralleling IMTA's vision and mission.
As part of our ongoing initiatives, the 2025 International Mountain Tourism Day (IMTD) themed event will be held on May 29 in Gran Canaria, Spain. Under the tentative theme "Embracing Mountains and Seas, Coexisting Cultures: Mountain Tourism and Cultural Inclusivity for the Future," the event will explore inclusive development in global mountain tourism, as business model innovation is a demand of the times for high-quality tourism, and community participation determines the intrinsic value of mountain tourism development. We extend our sincere invitation to your organization to partner with IMTA for a sub-session titled "Innovation in Mountain Tourism & Community Participation." This session will foster idea exchange, experience sharing, and the exploration of development opportunities, providing valuable insights into innovative and community-focused mountain tourism, while guiding global focus and action on sustainable mountain tourism, and encouraging higher levels of mountain community participation.
"Revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development" is the 17th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG-17) of the United Nations. Effective partnerships, like the aforementioned collaboration we propose, are essential for impactful outcomes. IMTA looks forward to establishing a long-term partnership with MPS. Based on the principles of co-discussion, co-construction, and sharing, we aim to engage in exchanges and cooperation across multiple fields, jointly participate in advancing the global mountain governance system, explore new mountain tourism development models, and contribute to the protection of mountain environments and ecological diversity, thus boosting mountain economies and benefiting mountain communities.
Please accept our best wishes for the success of this celebratory event. Looking ahead, IMTA is eager to further engage and collaborate with your organization to promote sustainable development in mountainous regions globally.
Sincerely,
Secretariat of the International Mountain Tourism Alliance
Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen
Editor Ⅱ: Wu Dan
Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong
