International Year of Mountains 2002 Japan

This is the eleventh newsletter about events and activities during the International Year of Mountains. It was prepared by the International Year of Mountains Coordination Unit at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN lead agency for coordinating the Year.

More national committees come on board

In May, the number of countries that have established or are planning to establish national committees or similar mechanisms for the International Year of Mountains rose to 66. The latest countries to come on board are:

* Cape Verde
* Croatia
* Lebanon
* United Republic of Tanzania
* Venezuela

For contact information and news about International Year of Mountains national committees and contact points, visit the country pages in the News section of the International Year of Mountains Web site: www.mountains2002.org/news.html

Mountain disaster reduction campaign planned

This year's theme for the United Nations Strategy for Disaster Reduction is 'Disaster Reduction for Sustainable Mountain Development.' The campaign aims to benefit vulnerable mountain communities by increasing awareness of ways to reduce the frequency and effects of disasters in mountain areas. The campaign reaches its peak on 9 October, International Disaster Reduction Day. For more information about the campaign, visit the Web site of the Strategy for Disaster Reduction at: www.unisdr.org

United Nations stamps issued

The United Nation Postal Administration issued a series of International Year of Mountains commemorative stamps on 24 May. The series of 12 features mountain photographs by Japanese photographer, Yoshikazu Shirakawa. To view the stamps and find out how to order, visit the Web site of the United Nations Postal Administration at: www.un.org/Depts/UNPA

Building an international partnership for mountains

Work is under way to build a new international partnership to undertake long-term meaningful action to protect mountain ecosystems and strengthen mountain communities long after the Year is over. The partnership will strengthen, broaden and formalize the international cooperation that has grown since 1992 when Chapter 13 of Agenda 21, the blueprint for sustainable development of mountains, was adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro.

The initiative is being developed in conjunction with preparatory work for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August to 4 September. FAO, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Swiss Government and others began to define the framework for this partnership at the third meeting of the preparatory committee for the WSSD in New York from 25 March to 4 April. The framework will be expanded at the fourth meeting of the preparatory committee in Bali from 27 May to 7 June, and presented in August at the Johannesburg Summit.

For more information, contact the International Year of Mountains Coordination Unit.

See the Web site's new look

The International Year of Mountains Web site has been redesigned. Along with the new look, many communications materials can now be downloaded from the site's new Media section. Some of the new communication tools are:

* case for support, a four-colour flyer
* four-colour leaflet
* introductory presentation on mountain issues
* presentation on starting a national committee
* logo and slogan in six languages

Also in the Media section, you can find a toolkit guide outlining how the communication tools can be used, as well as the International Year of Mountains concept paper, speeches, press releases, fact sheets and much more. These tools are also available on compact disk. To order a CD, contact the International Year of Mountains Coordination Unit.

The Web site also has a new Kids section, which will grow as the Year progresses.

Have a look at the new site, check out the latest news and links, and let us know what you think.

Major global events unfold

May has been a busy month, with two major global events - the High Summit 2002, a worldwide event organized by the Italian National Committee and the International Conference of Mountain Children in India. There was also an important European regional meeting, the Third European Mountain Convention, organized by Euromontana in Inverness 16 - 18 May. And May's not even over yet.

From 30 to 31 May, a preparatory meeting will be held in Chambey, France for the upcoming 'Celebrating Mountain Women' conference. The event will provide an opportunity to review the conference's five major themes:

* natural resources and environment
* legal, political and human rights
* culture and indigenous knowledge
* health and well-being
* entrepreneurship

'Celebrating Mountain Women', an important global conference that will bring together mountain women from around the world, was originally scheduled to take place in Kathmandu, Nepal. It will now be held from 1 to 4 October in Thimphu, Bhutan. For information about 'Celebrating Mountain Women' visit the Mountain Women site on the Mountain Forum at: mtnforum.org/women/

Two major global events are scheduled for June:

* Second International Meeting of Mountain Ecosystems from 12 to 14 June 2002, in Huaraz, Peru;
* International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Mountain Regions in Adelboden, Switzerland from 16 to 20 June.

For more information about these and other global events, consult the 'Major Global Events' page on the International Year of Mountains Web site at: www.mountains2002.org/m-mgevents.html

Contact Us

If you are organizing events and activities, please let us know. For more information, visit the International Year of Mountains Web site at www.mountains2002.org or contact the International Year of Mountains Coordination Unit at FAO at info@mountains2002.org.