In view of the event “Connecting Youth and Mountains, Creating a lively Future” organised by UNIMONT – University of Milan on the 8th of October, 2021 at Expo 2020 Dubai, the Edolo detachment launched a consultation involving young people living in mountain areas around the world on the themes of sustainability and innovation in mountain territories in order to create the “Mountain Education and Innovation Manifesto (MEIM)”. The process began with two online workshops – on the 15th and 22nd of September – which involved youth from all around the world.
The “Youth4Mountains Series” consultation is an opportunity for young people from all over the world, aged between 16 and 29 years, who live in mountain areas or who are passionate about sustainability, to learn, explore and discuss. The series consists of three working sessions, two online and one “hybrid” which will take place at Expo 2020 Dubai on the 8th of October during the event “Connecting Youth and Mountains, Creating a Lively Future” organised by the University of Milan with its UNIMONT detachment, exclusively dedicated to mountains, decentralised in Edolo, Camonica Valley.
The first meeting was held on Wednesday, 15th of September with the participation of 114 young people from 28 countries around the world, who were able to explore and discuss some of the issues that characterise sustainability and life in mountain areas – “Climate change”, “Biodiversity”, “Interconnection, virtual and physical mobility”, “Entrepreneurship and innovation” – together with international experts. The meeting was attended by: Maurizio Gallo, President of Evk2Minoprio; Rosalaura Romeo, Programme Officer at FAO – Mountain Partnership; Julian Fisher, Director of Zero Water Day Partnership; Maria del Mar Delgado, Project Coordinator of MOVING – MOuntain Valorisation through Interconnectedness and Green Growth – Horizon 2020; Valeria Leoni, Research Fellow at UNIMONT-University of Milan.
The work then continued during the second meeting, held on Wednesday 22nd of September. The participants actively contributed to the design of the first draft of the “Mountain Education and Innovation Manifesto”, participating in thematic working groups moderated by UNIMONT , Samantha Abear Communications and Outreach Consultant at FAO – Mountain Partnership and Prof. Maurizio Maugeri of the University of Milan. Jaideep Bansal, COO of the Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE), gave a relevant contribution for the promotion of sustainable development in mountain communities with a project about energy independence in the most remote areas of the Himalayas.
The strong participation and motivation of youth in the “Youth4Mountains Series” consultation is a good indicator for the work that will lead to the drafting of the “Mountain Education and Innovation Manifesto” on 8 October at Expo 2020 Dubai, as well as the promotion of concrete ideas and opinions on sustainable mountain development.
The consultation is promoted by: UNIMONT – University of Milan, FAO – Mountain Partnership, Euromontana, Alparc and Youth Shaping EUSALP.