Friends of Swat, unite!

A message from Carlo Alberto Pinelli – Chief of the Asian Desk of Mountain Wilderness International  

Unfortunately, since the risk of contagion could remain high for a long period of time, Mountain Wilderness and ISMEO will almost certainly not be able to take on the responsibility this year of inviting all those interested in participating in exploratory treks or mountaineering ascents in the mountains of Pakistan’s Upper Swat District. We will allow a slim glimmer of hope for a few weeks from now but, realistically speaking, all plans are about to be deferred.

Nevertheless, Mountain Wilderness and its projects do not intend to disappear for an entire year. Let us use this break to put more thought into future initiatives, study all the related issues and talk about protecting nature and experiencing its gifts without doing harm to the mountain pristine integrity, get to know each other better and deepen friendships or make new friends – and not least with a view to strengthening our relationships with the operation’s sponsors.

To that end, we propose putting together a mailing list of those we would like to call FRIENDS OF SWAT. The invitation goes out to everyone who, for any reason, has expressed interest in the Swat Project, all those who have already participated in our undertakings in Pakistan, all our former Pakistani trainees and their instructors, all sponsors and institutions or private backers who have contributed financially or in some other form to the realization of this Project, and all the scholars who have worked or are working with the Italian archaeological mission in Swat.

This invitation is obviously extended to anyone with even a generic interest in the Swat history and mountains, anyone who has heard of our group through websites on mountaineering, hiking and mountain environmentalism and anyone who is willing to share his or her ideas with a group of equally motivated persons. The official language will be English, but anyone who feels uncomfortable with it can write in their own language, knowing that only some of us will be able to understand or interact with them. Thank you, we look forward to hearing from you! Please write to Massimo Marconi mamax64@gmail.com

Swat Project