“#MountainsMatter” is the theme chosen for the 2018 celebration of International Mountain Day (IMD). The theme will highlight how mountains matter for youth, water, disaster risk reduction, food, indigenous peoples and biodiversity.

International Mountain Day, which has been celebrated on 11 December since 2003, has its roots in the adoption of Chapter 13 of Agenda 21, titled 'Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development'. Subsequently, the UN General Assembly declared 2002 as the UN International Year of Mountains, and designated 11 December, from 2003 onwards, as International Mountain Day. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) is the coordinating agency for the IMD.

The SDG Knowledge Hub summary of observances of International Mountain Day 2017 is here.

date: 11 December 2018
location: worldwide
contact: Water and Mountains Team, Forestry Department, FAO
www: http://www.un.org/en/events/mountainday/index.shtml