Issue 20: October 2002

The Bishkek Global Mountain Summit, feature event of International Year of Mountains 2002, will take place in Bishkek, Krygyzstan October 29 - November 1. The summit will draw together ideas and recommendations generated by the events of the past year into proposals for concrete action on the sustainable development of the world's moutain regions.

The event is co-organised by UN University, the Government of Kyrgyzstan, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Aga Khan Development Network, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, UN Environment Programme, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other UN and  non-governmental organizations.

UNU Rector Hans van Ginkel will co-chair the Summit opening ceremony and will also give a presentation on The Role of Research and Capacity Building in Sustainable Mountain Development during the main plenary session.

The 10 themes that will form the basis for discussion during the Summit's plenary and workshop sessions are:

1. International and regional agreements and cooperation and sustainable mountain development.
2. National policies and institutions for sustainable mountain development.
3. Legal, economic, and compensation mechanisms in support of sustainable mountain development.
4. Sustainable livelihoods and poverty alleviation.
5. Tourism and the conservation and maintenance of biological and cultural diversity.
6. Institutions for democratic and decentralized sustainable mountain development.
7. Conflicts and peace in mountain areas.
8. Mountain infrastructure: access, communications, energy.
9. Promotion and integration of education, science and culture in mountain protection and development.
10. Water, natural resources, hazards, desertification and the implications of climate change.

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