Western University in Azerbaijan has come on board as a sponsor of the UIAA Mountain Protection Award and will organize an international mountain ecotourism conference in October, in the capital Baku, that will highlight the award.
The sponsorship will go towards a cash prize of USD $5,000 for the winner of the inaugural award which is a stamp of authority for best practices to an organization or tour operator that has implemented/is implementing outstanding projects on mountain protection.
Applicants have 1 December 2013 to apply for the award with the results being announced in March 2014. Details can be found here.
“This proposed event is the perfect way to launch the Mountain Protection Award to a world hungry for sustainable mountain ecotourism solutions,” said Linda McMillan, president of the UIAA Mountain Protection Commission.
“The location for this event is especially appropriate, as we are particularly focused on spreading the economic and social benefits of sustainable mountain ecotourism in developing countries, which often have large areas of precious intact biodiversity.”
The Western University conference will be designed to attract leading experts on mountain ecotourism from around the world to discuss new ideas and practices of mountain ecotourism.
Planning for the conference is already underway and exact dates and speakers will be announced soon.
About the Mountain Protection Award
The UIAA Mountain Protection Award is given to organizations and tourist operators that have implemented/are implementing outstanding projects on mountain protection. Each year, winners will be chosen by the Award Team composed of external experts, UIAA mountain protection delegates and partners. The winner will receive a financial grant as well as visibility through UIAA communication platforms.
For more information contact mountainprotection@theuiaa.org
