From December 8-11th the WVU CRC will organize and host events surrounding International Mountain Day 2022 as part of the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2022 as the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development (IYM2022). The IYM2022 is a unique opportunity to raise awareness on the role of mountains and mountain people for our planet and sustainable development as well as for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in mountain communities. This International Year also marks the twentieth anniversary since the proclamation by the United Nations General Assembly of the International Year of the Mountain in 2002. Learn more about the Year of Sustainable Mountain Development here.
The theme of this year’s International Mountain Day is “Women Move Mountains.” International Mountain Day 2022 is an opportunity to raise awareness about the need to empower mountain women so they can participate more effectively in decision-making processes and have more control over productive resources.
Mountains are vital in the health of our planet and enacting sustainable futures for all. In celebration of International Mountain Day 2022: "Women Move Mountains", we invite Appalachians to share stories, create art, listen, and communicate our hopes for life in our mountains.
Through challenges and struggles, heartache and dispossession, this story has always been one of resilience, of perseverance, of hope, and of community. This project is a platform to collectively tell the story of the Appalachian mountains and their importance to the soul of our people.
We all have a voice in shaping our narrative. All are welcome to participate in this historic project. The online submission portal is open to submit an image, art, poem, song, or story, about what the Appalachian Mountains mean to you.
Share your Appalachian Stories!View more videos.
West Virginian Women play a key role in environmental protection and social and economic development in mountain areas. They are often the primary managers of mountain resources, guardians of biodiversity, keepers of traditional knowledge, custodians of local culture and experts in traditional medicine. We are taking this opportunity to raise awareness about women leadership in mountain communities and the need to transform decision-making processes so women have more control over resources, environments and lives. From December 8-11th the WVU CRC will host a West Virginia centered celebration of the International Day of the mountains around the theme “Women Move Mountains.” Throughout the week, opportunities for school aged children as well as engagement with the Morgantown community will also be available through a youth led concert, inspiring talks by Appalachian women leaders, and inclusive lessons to empower our youth.
Calendar of Events
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH
Online submission opens for “International Mountain Day: Celebrating Our Appalachian Stories”
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8TH
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
International Mountain Day Activities Led by Mountain Stewardship and Outdoor Leadership School at Morgantown Learning Academy (MLA)
CRC Staff and families will join students at MLA to create their own celebration of our West Virginia mountains through creating flags of gratitude and hiking to the highest point on school property with their class to hang their flags on a class tree. Opportunities exist for other classes to participate remotely. If interested, contact josha@mail.wvu.edu
5:30 - 6:45 pm
Gluck Theater, Mountain Lair
Concert and Speaker: Join us to celebrate International Mountain Day through music from the WVU Flute Studio and students at the Morgantown Learning Academy. Maria Gunnoe, Director of the Mother Jones Community Foundation, will also speak on "Gratitude and Resilience" in honor of the theme of this year's International Mountain Day: Women Move Mountains.
Country Roads
"Gratitude and Resilience" Short talk by Maria Gunnoe, 2009 Goldman Prize Winner and Director of the Mother Jones Community Foundation
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9TH
9:00 - 11:30 am
Brooks Hall Room 325
Women Move Mountains Panel: The CRC will host a gathering that will celebrate women in West Virginia that have been committed to creating change around the environmental justice movement. Our aim is to facilitate a meaningful conversation around their work, their source of strength, potential solidarities and priorities for advancing change in 2023.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11TH
Online exhibit: remote participation in United Nations International Mountain Day through “International Mountain Day: Celebrating Our Appalachian Stories”
