The 18th National Children’s Mountain Conservation Meet organized by Adventure Foundation Pakistan from 15th to 24 July 2022 concluded in Islamabad on Sunday.
Venue of this year’s Meet was the area of Manoor Valley in Mansehra District of KP Province, said a press release.
On the final day, a Children Mountain Forum was held at Margalla Hotel Islamabad in which young participants of the moot made presentations on the theme of Climate Change – What we can do about it. Joudat Ayaz. Additional Secretary, Ministry of Climate Change was chief guest of this event.
Ali Hassan Habib, President of Adventure Foundation Pakistan welcomed all the participants and guests and congratulated the young participants and staff on successful completion of 18th NCMC Meet.
Aftab Rana, National Coordinator of NCMC Meet Project informed that this programme was launched on the occasion of International Year of Mountains in 2002 with a view to create awareness among young people about the mountain ecosystems and involve them in meaningful activities using mountains’ environment as an open classroom. Under this program each year around one hundred children are selected from all parts of Pakistan to attend a 10 days environment educational camp held in a mountain area.
He further informed that this educational programme involves young children in an action-oriented form of learning about the natural environment and its related problems.
Participation in this meet makes them conscious enough to do something practical for the conservation and preservation of natural environment by undertaking micro level projects in their communities and schools. 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 and its important role in our daily life.
Based on the first hand exposure, the young speakers in their presentations highlighted issues faced by the natural environment in mountains areas and shared their personal observations with the audience. They also made recommendations to the concerned departments of federal and provincial governments to address the environmental issues.
At the end of the forum a joint petition was presented by the young representative of NCMC Meet 2022 to the representative of Ministry of Climate Change to improve the environmental conditions in the mountain areas of Pakistan.
Chief Guest in his closing remarks appreciated the efforts of Adventure Foundation Pakistan to create awareness about the conservation of natural environment among the young people of Pakistan. He also mentioned about the various steps which his ministry has taken to improve the environment in Pakistan. He vowed that the points highlighted in the petition made by the young participants will be taken seriously and government will take necessary steps to implement them.
National Children Mountain Conservation Meet is an annual flagship project of AFP since 2002 and so far more than 2000 young participants and 300 staff members have participated in this unique outdoor education program.
