Days Until International Mountain Day

About International Mountain Day

December 11 became a UN observance via a General Assembly resolution in 2003, growing out of the momentum of the UN's International Year of Mountains in 2002, aiming to raise awareness of the importance of mountains to life, sustainable development, and biodiversity.

Each year's observance typically highlights a specific mountain-related theme, from climate change impacts on mountain regions to the livelihoods of mountain communities.

Mountain regions are home to roughly one-tenth of the world's population and hold a disproportionately large share of global freshwater sources, statistics frequently cited to justify the observance's focus on mountain ecosystems.

The Himalayas, Andes, and Alps are among the mountain ranges most frequently referenced in the day's public campaigns, chosen partly for their significant populations of mountain-dependent communities facing climate-related environmental change.

The 2002 initiative that preceded this day's founding brought together mountain researchers, conservationists, and indigenous mountain communities in a coordinated global assessment for the first time.