Islamabad (TDI): Italian Ambassador to Pakistan, Marilina Armellin, was the chief guest at the concluding ceremony of 21st National Children’s Mountain Conservation Meet (NCMC), organized by Adventure Foundation Pakistan.
It was a ten day long camp that came to an end on 20th July, and brought together one hundred children and staff members in the beautiful Siran Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Ambassador Armellin, in her closing rwemarks, appreciated the efforts of Adventure Foundation Pakistan to create awareness among young people about the conservation of natural environment.
She said, “In today’s world of digital technologies and over consumption, it has become more important that we should make an effort to keep young people in touch with Mother Earth.”
She also emphasized the long-standing cooperation between Italy and Pakistan in the fields of mountain and glacier conservation and research, which has been ongoing for over a century. She shared that the very first Italian expedition arrived in the region in 1909, with the objective of mapping a land route to K2.
The Ambassador told the participants that that the most commonly used route to K2 today is known as the “Abruzzi Spur,” discovered by Italian mountaineer Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi, during the 1909 expedition.
She recounted that in 1954, K2 was successfully summited for the first time by two Italian climbers, Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni.
Under NCMC, each year, around one hundred children are selected from all parts of Pakistan to attend a 10 day environment education camp in one of the mountainous areas of Pakistan.
Participation are encouraged to do something practical for the conservation and preservation of natural environment by undertaking micro level projects in their communities and schools.
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The children who attend this Meet are given the title of “Eco-Guards” which gives them confidence to play an active role in their day to day life to create awareness about protection of natural environment.
So far 21 National Children Mountain Conservation Meets have been organized by Adventure Foundation Pakistan and more than 2500 young participants and 500 staff members have participated in this program.
Adventure Foundation of Pakistan (AFP) is the only non-commercial organization in Pakistan dedicated to the promotion of outdoor adventure and environmental awareness activities since its establishment in 1980.
AFP promotes resilience through exposure to the outdoors and organizes outdoor activities for all age groups across the gender divide.
Sohail Majeed
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
