The International Mountain Day Was Celebrated At The Moscow HQ Of The RGS

A meeting dedicated to the International Mountain Day was held on December 11th  at the Headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society in Moscow. The event was organized by the Commission of the Russian Geographical Society for the Development of Tourism, the Permanent Environmental Commission of the Russian Geographical Society, and the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

International Mountain Day was established by decision of the 57th UN General Assembly in January 2003. Each year, a theme is determined for Mountain Day, within the framework of which, information materials are developed and events are held. The theme of the holiday in 2019 is "Mountains matter for youth." In this regard, the speeches of the meeting participants at the Headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society were dedicated, in particular, to the role of the young generation in the development and preservation of the natural and cultural heritage of the mountains.

The meeting was traditionally opened by the Honorary President of the Society, director of the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladimir Kotlyakov: "This year, the theme of Mountain Day touches upon the urgent problem of preserving youth population in the mountains; as well as how the younger generation sees the prospects for the development of mountain territories; preserving the natural and cultural heritage, history and traditions of the mountaineers. Today we have a rather large program. In particular, we will hear reports on the development prospects of the mountainous regions of Tajikistan. The geographers of Russia and Tajikistan have long and close scientific relations in the study of the nature of the ancient mountainous country. The Russian Geographical Society and the Geographical Society of Tajikistan signed a cooperation agreement. We will also hear words about initiatives in the North Caucasus, the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, and the Republic of Dagestan, and about the place of youth in promoting new projects, including those in the field of tourism. "

Presentations were made by Yuri Badenkov, Senior Research Scientist  at the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Anvar Buzurukov, Chairman of the Socio-Ecological Union of Tajikistan ; Abduvohid Safarov, Advisor to the Director of the Yagnob National Park; Sergey Seleznev, Member of the Public Council for Tourism of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania; Said Ninalalov, Director of the Dagestan branch of the “Znanie” (“Knowledge”) Society; Head of the Laboratory of Cartography of IG RAS, Andrei Medvedev; Deputy Director of the Institute of Geography of the RAS for Scientific Issues, corresponding member of RAS, Arkady Tishkov.

Yuri Badenkov noted, that this year, at the initiative of the Ministry of the Russian Federation for North Caucasus Affairs, supported by the Council of the Federation of the Russian Federation, the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS member states developed a model law  "On the Development and Protection of Mountain Territories." "This document is of a recommendatory nature: mountainous countries should check their legislation and mountain development policies, so that it fits into the overall strategy," said the geographer. It is assumed, that the adoption of the law will allow to establish legal regulation of public relations in the mountainous territories of the CIS countries; to create conditions for improving the living standards of the population of mountainous territories, preserving unique mountainous ecological systems, traditional lifestyles, and cultural traditions.

Anvar Buzurukov and Abduvohid Safarov dedicated their speeches to the opening of the Yagnob National Park in Tajikistan. It was created in 2019 in the Yagnob valley of the Aininsky district of the Sogd region. Residents of the picturesque Yagnob Valley, due to its natural isolation and inaccessibility, as direct heirs of the Sogdian civilization, were able to preserve the originality of their lifestyle, culture, one of the elements of which is the Yagnob language, close to the ancient Sogdian language. "At present, a road has been laid, the construction of a boarding school for children is nearing completion," Anvar Buzurukov said.