International Mountain Day l 11 December

The United Nations General Assembly designated 11 December “International Mountain Day”. As of 2003, it has been observed every year to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build alliances that will bring positive change to mountain peoples and environments around the world.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is the coordinating agency for the preparation and animation of this celebration and is mandated to lead the observance of it at the global level. The Mountain Partnership Secretariat in the FAO Forestry Division is responsible for coordinating this international process.

International Mountain Day 2026 theme

Mountain pastoralists: Sustaining rangelands, knowledge and livelihoods

International Mountain Day 2026 celebrates the role of mountain pastoralists who, through their knowledge, mobility and care, raise animals, contribute to food security and steward fragile mountain rangelands.

Drawing on Indigenous and local knowledge developed over generations, their practices help regenerate vegetation, maintain healthy soils, water cycles and wildlife habitats, and respond to climate variability – while supporting rural mountain economies and preserving ecosystems.

As a contribution to the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026, the Day highlights the environmental, social and economic importance of mountain rangelands and calls for greater recognition of mountain pastoralists as custodians of ecosystems that sustain life from the highlands to the lowlands.

Mountain pastoralist sustaining rangelands

International Mountain Day 2026

Mountain pastoralists: Sustaining rangelands, knowledge and livelihoods

Worldwide Events

How will you mark the day?

Check out the International Mountain Day social media kit for resources that can be shared widely across your networks.
Join the conversation on social media using the #MountainsMatter hashtag. Pass on some of this year's key messages or take a photo of your favourite mountain and share it online.
Organize or join events celebrating mountains, such as hikes, symposiums, photo competitions, art exhibitions, craft fairs or school talks.
Don’t forget to tell us about it by registering your event and send us photos so we can add them to the gallery of events happening around the world.

Key messages

Mountain pastoralists are stewards of land, livestock and livelihoods

Mountain pastoralists raise livestock and produce food, fibre and other goods in high-altitude regions. Drawing on generations of Indigenous Peoples' as well as local knowledge, they use daily and seasonal mobility, including transhumance, to sustainably manage rangelands, support animal welfare and contribute to food security. In India, an estimated 13 million pastoralists from more than 46 communities rely on pastoralism for their livelihoods. Across the Hindu Kush Himalaya, rangelands cover nearly 60 percent of the region and sustain millions of pastoralists and agro-pastoralists.

Healthy mountain rangelands benefit 1.2 billion people living in mountain areas

Rangelands cover around half of the Earth’s land surface, including significant mountain areas. Mountains regulate water flows to downstream areas. Mountain rangelands preserve habitats and biodiversity, store carbon and help reduce wildfire risk. For example, 70 per cent of Colombia’s freshwater begins in its mountain rangelands. More than one third of Swiss agricultural land is alpine pasture and 85 percent of agricultural land in Kyrgyzstan is pasture.

Mountain pastoral systems can build resilience in a changing climate

Climate change, land degradation and conversion to other land uses are reducing pastoral areas and disrupting livestock corridors, limiting access to water and markets, and affecting rangeland quality and herd mobility. Croplands are expanding into higher elevation rangelands as the climate changes, and urbanization and mining are fueled by population and economic growth. Yet mountain pastoral practices, such as community-based management supported by innovation and sound policies, can restore degraded lands and strengthen climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation and disaster risk reduction.

Mountain livestock breeds are living reservoirs of genetic diversity

Mountains support about one-quarter of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and at least five domestic mammals – sheep, goats, yaks, alpacas and llamas – originated or were diversified in mountains. South America is home to about 7.5 million alpacas, and Peru has the world’s largest alpaca herd, with about 4.5 – 4.7 million animals providing livelihoods, natural fibre and animal-source food. Natural mountain materials like alpaca fibre, wool and cashmere, produced through low-input pastoral systems, offer a renewable, low-carbon alternative that supports a circular, climate resilient fashion industry.

Women and youth are driving the future of mountain pastoral systems

Pastoralist women play a crucial role in managing rangelands and production, supporting local economies and preserving traditional knowledge, yet many lack secure land rights and access to credit and resources. Pastoralist youth bring innovation and new skills but need greater access to education, digital tools, finance and entrepreneurship opportunities to prevent migration from mountain areas. Empowering women and youth pastoralists through mobile schooling, incentives and associations can help reverse rangeland abandonment and degradation.

Secure land rights are essential for sustainable mountain rangelands

Pastoral commons are essential resources for viable pastoral systems, functioning as insurance during droughts and other hazards. Strong pastoral governance and secure land tenure – backed by legislation, institutions, inclusive policies and community-based governance that recognize pastoralists' rights to move their animals as well as recognizing the role of Indigenous Peoples’ and local knowledge – are essential for productive, resilient mountain rangelands. They guarantee that mountain pastoralists can continue to manage rangelands sustainably for present and future generations.