UPPER DIR: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pakistan Glof 2 celebrated International Mountain Day in Chitral. The event was organized to raise awareness about the importance of mountains and the challenges they face due to climate change.
The event was attended by students from seven government and private schools, government officials, educational institutions, and climate change enthusiasts. The students showcased their artwork depicting the effects of climate change on mountain communities, which was later displayed in the hotel’s gallery.
A student from Government High School for Girls, Fatima, said, “This event provided us with an opportunity to showcase our artwork and learn about Chitral’s different mountain ranges and peaks, which I am excited to share with my friends.”
Another important feature of the event was a session on adventure tourism by the Youth Mountaineering and Trekking Group based in Chitral. The group displayed mountaineering equipment and gear outside the hotel hall for the audience, highlighting the potential for adventure tourism in the region.
“Chitral is blessed with breathtaking scenery and is home to the highest peak in the Hindukush range, Tirich Mir. However, due to the lack of infrastructure development and minimal media coverage, it remains largely undiscovered by tourists and mountaineers,” said an expert panelist at the event.
Other panelists emphasized the need for youth to become champions for climate action and play an active role in raising awareness about the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and communities.
The event concluded with an awareness walk on Chitral Town’s main road. The UNDP’s GLOF-II project works in 16 valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan and eight valleys of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It empowers communities to identify and manage risks associated with GLOFs and related climate change impacts, strengthens public services to reduce disaster risks, and enhances community preparedness and disaster response.
