International Mountain Day 2025, observed on December 11, is both a celebration of mountain cultures and a warning signal about the pressures facing the world’s highlands.
In 2025, International Mountain Day is closely linked with the United Nations-declared International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, in a bid to highlight how climate change is rapidly reshaping life in the mountains and far downstream.
Thus, the theme of International Mountain Day 2025 is “Glaciers matter for water, food, and livelihoods in mountains and beyond.”
A history of International Mountain Day
International Mountain Day grew out of a growing recognition in the late 20th century that mountain regions, long seen as remote and untamable terrains, are actually central to water security, biodiversity, and cultural diversity.
In 2002, the UN General Assembly declared the International Year of Mountains. At its end, on December 20, the UNGA declared December 11 as the annual International Mountain Day starting in 2003.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations was tasked with coordinating this new observance and has since led global campaigns under the hashtag “#MountainsMatter” every December 11.
Why mountains matter
Mountains supply fresh water to an estimated billion people, channelling snowmelt and glacier melt into rivers that sustain cities, farms, and hydropower far downstream.
These highlands host exceptional biodiversity and many endemic species of flora, fauna, and wildlife, while also sheltering Indigenous and local communities whose languages, food systems, and spiritual traditions are tightly bound to the land.
Closer home, the mighty Himalayas face acute risks from climate-driven glacier melt, deforestation, and unplanned infrastructure. These human activities accelerate landslides and floods while threatening rivers like the Ganges and Brahmaputra.
Species migration upslope squeezes habitats, and tourism pressures exacerbate erosion in areas like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
Conserving mountains
Conservation in mountain regions blends global frameworks with local action.
Regional alliances like the Andean Mountain Initiative (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela), the Alpine Convention (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia, and Switzerland), and the Carpathian Convention (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine) show how countries can jointly protect biodiversity, climate resilience, and livelihoods.
In India, projects like the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, the SECURE Himalaya Project, and Project Snow Leopard advance glacier monitoring, environmental conservation, research, and reforestation.
Celebrating International Mountain Day 2025
International Mountain Day celebrations and observances include outdoor activities, dialogue, cultural displays, and educational events.
Across India, schools, eco-clubs, and trekking groups plan nature walks, guided hikes, and mountain clean-up drives in regions such as the Himalayas, Western Ghats, and Aravalli Hills, often paired with tree-planting or sapling-distribution campaigns.
Universities, research institutes, and civil society groups host webinars and panel discussions on topics such as glacier loss, sustainable tourism, and mountain livelihoods, sometimes linking Indian events to international online seminars.
