Journal 8

Sept. 17^th through the 20^th, in Erzurum, Turkey, the 4^th Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership will take place. There will be a new, four year (2014 to 2017), strategy and governance presented. In some sense it is a celebration of the last 10 years, since the conception of the Mountain Partnership, and a revamping of its role, because of said 10 years of experience.

About 3 months ago I received a copy of the Mountain Partnership draft Governance and Strategy and I want to highlight a couple of the “key milestones” documented within. First, 1992, Rio Earth Summit includes chapter 13 in ‘Agenda 21’. Second, 1995, International non-governmental consultation in Lima, Peru, leading to establishment of the Mountain Forum. Third, 2002, International Year of Mountains. Fourth, 2002, establishment of the International Partnership for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions (Mountain Partnership). Fifth, 2011, Lucerne, Switzerland, World Mountain Conference. Sixth, 2003, 2004, 2012, global meetings of the MP. And finally, 2013, Erzurum, Turkey, the fourth global meeting of the MP.

Whiles these may be milestones in MP history they are also historic milestones for the whole of mountainous people everywhere. It is because of the efforts of the people who attended these meetings and the people who inspired them that such great strides have been made in mountain development.