18 May 2015: In its annual report, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) reflects on its key achievements in promoting sustainable mountain development (SMD). Using mountain climbing as an analogy to facing SMD challenges, the report, titled ‘A Year-long Ascent,’ describes work in advocacy, communication and knowledge management, promoting International Mountain Day, brokering joint action and leading capacity development initiatives.

The report also highlights: mountain family farming as the focus of the International Programme on Research and Training on Sustainable Management of Mountain Areas and International Mountain Day; success stories from MP members towards achieving SMD in six regions; and a list of the events the MPS took part in and organized, and publications and videos it produced. In addition, the MPS-promoted advocacy campaign resulted in the inclusion of three mountain-related targets in the final report of the UN Open Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goals (OWG).

The Mountain Partnership has been working since 2002 to raise awareness about the importance of mountain ecosystems, improve the lives of mountain peoples and conserve mountainous environments. The MPS is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN. [Mountain Partnership News] [Publication: A Year-long Ascent: Mountain Partnership Secretariat Annual Report 2014]