Mountain Symbol of Heights in Life!
International Mountain Day 2024 / 11
December / Article
Mountain Symbol of Heights
in Life!
Fr Dr M. D. Thomas
Director, Institute of
Harmony and Peace Studies, New Delhi
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Mountain Day is being celebrated on the
11th day of December. The year 2002 was observed as International
Year of Mountains. As the year drew to a close, the United Nations General
Assembly proclaimed 11 December as International Mountain Day. It was first
observed in 2003.
The above observance is aimed at drawing attention to
the important roles that mountainous regions play in water and food supply. The
day was also intended for raising awareness and triggering action on issues
relating to sustainable mountain development. Themes like freshwater, peace, biodiversity and climate change were
considered in yester years.
Activities on and around International Mountain Day are oriented
to increasing awareness of and knowledge around the role of mountains and
mountainous regions amongst the general population and professionals. Some of
the events are -- book fairs, symposia, lectures, workshops and press events.
The day is a global observance and not a public holiday.
In other words, creating awareness about the importance of
mountains to life, highlighting the opportunities and constraints in mountain development,
and building alliances that will bring positive change to mountain peoples and
environments around the world are the objective of the day.
The symbol of International Mountain Day consists of three
equilateral triangles, each orientated with two points on a single imaginary
horizontal line and one point directed upwards. The triangles are mainly black
and represent mountains.
The triangle on the left has a blue ‘diamond’ shape at the top,
representing ice or snow at the top of a mountain. The middle triangle has an
orange circle at its center, representing resources that are mined from inside
mountains. The triangle on the right has a small green triangle at its lower
right-hand point. This represents the crops that grow on mountains.
Under the three triangles is a black stripe containing the words
‘11 December’ and the words ‘International Mountain Day’ in two shades of
United Nations’ use of the color blue. The symbol of International Mountain Day
is based on the symbol for the International Year of Mountains.
Over centuries, mountain communities have developed solutions to
adapt to their harsh environments, deal with climate change, reduce poverty and
protect or restore biodiversity and ecosystems in mountain regions.
International Mountain Day 2024 aims at focusing on innovative solutions,
fostering adaptation strategies and empowering youth for a sustainable future.
Innovation is essential for addressing complex mountain-related
issues. It encompasses technological advancements, such as digital solutions
for monitoring and conservation, as well as creative problem-solving such as
climate-smart agriculture and novel approaches to livelihoods, resource
management and financing.
As climate change exacerbates environmental pressures on
mountains, adaptation becomes imperative for building resilience and reducing
vulnerability. Adaptation strategies tailored to mountain ecosystems and
communities include solutions such as ecosystem-based approaches to disaster
risk reduction and the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems.
The active, meaningful and inclusive participation of youth in
decision-making is essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability of
mountain solutions. Young people are committed to climate action, gender
equality, social justice, innovation, the promotion of culture, and inclusion.
International Mountain Day 2024 is a platform for exchanging
knowledge, showcasing best practices and mobilizing collective action. By
embracing innovation, adaptation, youth empowerment, and collaborative
approaches, we can pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient future for
mountain communities and ecosystems.
David McCullough Jr. says, “Climb the
mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air
and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can
see you.” “Stop staring at mountains’’, he adds.
Moreover, mountain is the symbol of
heights in life. It is symbol of growing up in life, in the physical, mental,
psychological and spiritual proportions. It also stands for the various accomplishments
in life. It offers a large sketch of beautiful panorama, too. Climbing the
mountain would mean ascending the steps of human and divine altitudes, as well.
On the occasion of ‘International Mountain Day 2024’, we an
opportunity to elevate ourselves in life so much that we accomplish human and
divine altitudes in life. Hail International Mountain Day!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The author is Director, Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies, New Delhi, and has been committed to education, cross-cultural perspectives, cross-scriptural values, constitutional values, interfaith relations, social ethics, communal harmony, national integration and social wellbeing, for the past nearly 45 years. He contributes to the above cause through lectures, articles, video messages, conferences, social interactions, views at TV channels, and the like.
He
could be viewed, listened to and
contacted at the following portals – websites ‘www.mdthomas.in’ (p), ‘https://mdthomas.academia.edu’ (p), ‘https://drmdthomas.blogspot.com’(p) and ‘www.ihpsindia.org’ (o); social media ‘https://www.youtube.com/InstituteofHarmonyandPeaceStudies’ (o), ‘https://twitter.com/mdthomas53’ (p), ‘https://www.facebook.com/mdthomas53’ (p); email ‘mdthomas53@gmail.com’
(p) and telephone 9810535378 (p).
Comments
Post a Comment