The signing of the MoU with Pakistan
A report by Carlo Alberto (Betto) Pinelli
On 29 May, in one of the spacious halls of the Serena Hotel in Islamabad, the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Government held a formal ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the first ascent of Tirich Mir (7,708 metres), the highest mountain in the Hindu Kush, by Norwegians in 1950. The ceremony also included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of KP and Mountain Wilderness International. The signatories were Director General Habib Ullah Arif for the Government and Betto Pinelli, Honorary President and Head of the Asian Desk, for Mountain Wilderness International, on behalf of President Gabriella Suzanne Vanzan.
The MoU commits the association to collaborating with the department in the training of trekking guides, high-altitude porters, mountaineering and climbing instructors, expedition facilitators and environmental monitors. The Department undertakes to facilitate in every way possible the implementation of these training courses, while ensuring the presence of Mountain Wilderness experts on the committees responsible for studying development models for mountain valleys, in order to prevent the degradation of their environmental and ecological integrity. You can find Carlo Alberto Pinelli’s speech below.
During his short stay in Pakistan, Betto Pinelli had very positive meetings with both AICS (Italian Agency for Development Cooperation) and UNESCO officials to finally develop a realistic and effective plan aimed at establishing a large, protected area in northern Swat.
The small Mountain Wilderness delegation (Betto Pinelli, Francesco Cappellari, Afzel Scherazi) also had decisive meetings with the managing director of the Sang-e-Meel publishing house in Lahore, which will be responsible for printing and distributing our guidebook to the mountains of Swat, in collaboration with the Italian publisher L’Altra Montagna.
As a first commitment linked to the signing of the MoU – and as a significant contribution to the celebration of the anniversary of Tirich Mir – the Department of Culture and Tourism and the Asian Desk of Mountain Wilderness have agreed to organise, as early as next September, an advanced course in Environment-Friendly Mountaineering, reserved for the best women trainees from Swat who participated in the two previous basic courses (Swat Girls in Action!), alongside an equal number of young women from the neighbouring Chitral Valley.
The course will take place mostly in a tented camp, set up in a spectacular mountain environment, right where the Norwegians set up their base camp in 1950. Mountain Wilderness is pleased to recall that the leader of that victorious expedition was the philosopher Arne Naess, a proponent of deep ecology. A legendary figure of great depth, he was asked in his later years to stand as an International Guarantor for Mountain Wilderness. Only his poor health prevented him from accepting. Nevertheless, many parts of the Biella Theses show clear traces of his thinking. The course will test the 18 trainees both on rocky routes of excellent granite (which MW had the opportunity to explore 25 years ago!) and on the glaciers descending from Tirich Mir. Not too far from the camp are the boundaries of the Chitral National Park.
Over the next few weeks, the Pakistani chapter of Mountain Wilderness will take care of selecting the trainees. In the meantime, the Asian Desk is working to put together a small team of high-level female instructors, given that, once again, the course will be an all-women’s one.
Here is the short speech Betto Pinelli gave at the MoU signing ceremony:
“I am not embarrassed to confess that I am very moved, now that I am called to sign this so important and meaningful memorandum of understanding between my association Mountain Wilderness and the Tourist Department of the KP Government; Moved, mainly because I am going to sign it in coincidence with the celebration of the seventy five years of the first ascent of the mighty Tirich Mir, the highest peak of the Hindu Kush.
It seems to me that the connection between these two events, in many ways has something in common with the entire course of my life. At least of the part of my life concerning my long-lasting relationship with the mountains of west Pakistan.
I was 24 years old when for the first time, hiking down by foot from Loway Pass, I saw the fairy, wonderful profile of Tirich Mir, closing the horizon of the green Chitral valley. It was the summer of 1959. I was the youngest member of an Italian mountaineering expedition, directed to Saraghrar peak (7350 m), the fourth highest peak of the Hindu Kush, which at that time had never been yet summited. We did it. As a matter of fact, I am the last living member of that successful team. During the following years I came back more than once to Chitral , where I summited some other virgin peaks and organized – in 2001 – an advanced course of environment friendly mountaineering, on the north- eastern slopes and glaciers of Tirich Mir, to teach to a group of motivated local young people the basic skills needed to offer their services as reliable mountaineering and trekking guides. The course was organized by the Asian desk of Mountain Wilderness International which has a very active chapter in Pakistan. Thanks to the present MoU we will be able to start again those kind of training courses – and also outdoor camps for mountain lovers or rock climbers- not only in Chitral but also in Swat. Yes, Swat. Let me add something about Swat.
I explored the upper valleys of Swat and their peaks during the fall of 1964, following the suggestion of the famous professor Giuseppe Tucci. Then many years passed. Only during 2017 I was called to came back to lead a complex programme called “The Swat Project”, supported also by the International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies and by the Italian Academic Alpine Club. Since 2017 up to now we kept working in Swat with many different goals. We began teaching to a selection of local young men the basic skills needed to become reliable trekking guides and expedition helpers, but also active environmental sentries ready to fight against any attempt to spoil the natural heritage of their mountain landscapes and their precious biodiversity.
Due to the relative proximity to the major urban centres of the plains, the Upper Swat valleys remain the only ones of the huge Himalaya range capable of being easily accessed by car and then enjoyed, hiked and climbed without needing to organise classic complex expeditions consisting of long approach marches and numerous porters.
An unquestionable advantage that, if not managed wisely, could seriously undermine the integrity of the environment, without any significant advantage for local economy. We want more tourists to enjoy the experience of these unspoiled hills, but not to the detriment of their true natural message.
To that end, Mountain Wilderness, and its allied organizations, are close to editing a guidebook of the Swat Mountains, inspired by the principles dear to our association, in the certainty that such an instrument would have a positive influence on future tourist choices, even at an international level. Probably you will find this book in the Pakistani bookshops before the end of this year. To put together the guidebook, we availed ourselves of the careful descriptions of many unknown and fascinating itineraries, written by groups of European and Pakistani trekkers, who were invited by us – from 2018 to 2024 – to experience the magical wilderness of the mountains of Swat.
Mountain Wilderness International is an association of expert mountaineers who combine serious skills in outdoor activities and mountaineering training with a commitment to preventing the deterioration of the natural mountain environment. MW is a non-governmental, non-commercial and not-for-profit organization, which is now asked through the present MoU, to prove that it is possible – thanks to a responsible behavior and a respectful planning – to favor the increasing presence of tourists wishing to enjoy mountain outdoor activities, without damaging the spiritual fulfillment offered by the last wild places left on the planet. And without forgetting – but at the same time wisely channeling – the socio-economic and cultural hopes of local communities.
As a conclusion of this short speech, I wish to thank again the Authorities of KP who trusted our commitment, enthusiasm, vision and seriousness. I hope we will not deceive them! Let us consider the present memorandum a real milestone.”