Promoting responsible practices in the mountains

Press release on the occasion of the International Day of Mountains 2012
11 December 2012

Promoting responsible practices in the mountains

On the occasion of the 2012 International Day of Mountains, Mountain Wilderness, the international association for the protection of the mountain, call all practitioners and users of mountain territories to engage in the promotion and dissemination of values compatible with the preservation of these fragile areas, and to adopt practices, attitudes and ethics that allow a sustainable future of our relationship with the mountains. In particular, Mountain Wilderness works to improve the living conditions of the poorest mountain populations in Asia and South America directing them towards concrete results which will at the same time safeguard fully the wilderness of the mountain environment.

Since its inception in 1989, Mountain Wilderness has been consistently promoting, in the fields of mountaineering, climbing, skiing, hiking and tourism, the ideas of respect for the mountain environment, as well as of the local populations and economical situation of these fragile areas. In particular, it has advocated clean climbing, notably by the production of documents on this subject, as well as the establishment of an international competition to reward climbers who adopt a responsible practice.

The association has repeatedly drawn the attention of those who practice mountain activities on the need to protect these endangered places. We again call on all friends of the mountain to adopt behaviours that do not threaten natural areas. We invite practitioners to engage in the dissemination of our ethical values, through the clubs to which they belong.

Mountain Wilderness calls all mountain lovers to join its ranks to strengthen the movement for the protection of the last wild places on the planet.

11 December 2012