The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) are the source of 10 major river systems in Asia that provide water, ecosystem services and livelihoods to more than 210 million people. The region holds water for more than 1.3 billion people—a fifth of the world’s population—living in downstream river basins.

Climate change and other drivers of change in the HKH have already begun to impact ecosystems and communities and often manifest in communities through an increasing vulnerability and exposure to natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and landslides. There is a need to strengthen approaches for building resilience in the mountains, as resilience is required for achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and neglecting mountain resilience will inevitably lead to sustainability challenges in the plains.

To address these issues and others, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) jointly with the Government of Nepal’s Ministry of Population and Environment and with support from the European Union, is organizing an international conference entitled, “Resilient Hindu Kush Himalaya: Developing Solutions towards a Sustainable Future for Asia.” Bringing together more than 200 experts from around the globe, the conference aims to identify, discuss, and jointly recommend possible resilient solution packages suitable for mountain areas. The conference will approach resilience building for transformative change in the HKH from a holistic perspective, seen in the context of multiple change processes in mountain areas. By drawing on experts’ experiences of developing and implementing sustainable and resilient solutions, practical policies, and the latest knowledge on resilience, the conference aims to deepen the commitment among concerned stakeholders and decision makers to find and implement resilient solutions in the HKH and downstream.

Updates on the ongoing proceedings of the conference will be covered by ICIMOD and our media partner Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ). Relevant footage and event summaries will be made available for use by media outlets.

Photos from the conference will be made available on Flickr stream: http://j.mp/resilientHKH_photos

Broadcast quality videos/b-roll from the conference will be available on: Dropbox http://j.mp/resilientHKH_broll password: icimod

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