The UIAA Mountain Protection Award (MPA), the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation’s flagship project in sustainability, returns for its 11th edition. Application for the 2025 Award is now open with details on how to register outlined below.
The MPA is open to any project rooted in mountain sports with a focus on environmental sustainability and climate change.
The Award, last held in 2023, returns this year following an extensive restructuring process. As part of this process, the MPA Working Group of the UIAA Mountain Protection Commission, led by a number of leading experts in the field of mountain protection, climate change, environmental science and mountain tourism, reviewed all aspects of the Award from its frequency, its prizes, its application process and the support it provides to nominated projects. The Award also welcomes a major new sponsor in the form of its Presenting Partner, Lenovo.
Two main prizes will be offered this year:
Overall Winner: receiving EUR 8,000 prize money, communication amplification through UIAA partners, a certificate of recognition, a trophy, an invitation and paid trip to the dedicated award ceremony, the MPA winner logo as well as international communication on all UIAA platforms.
Best New Initiative: receiving EUR 2,000 prize money, a certificate of recognition, the MPA Best New Initiative logo, international communication on all UIAA platforms and most importantly benefitting from an expert review and advice to further develop the concept and support its implementation.
In addition to the prize winners, a total of 10-15 projects will be showcased on the official MPA platform and through the UIAA’s communication channels.
One of the significant changes in the Award is its move to a two-year cycle. With a significant alumni group of participants and awards winners since the award inception in 2013, a global community of experience and exposure has formed. From 2025 the MPA will function on a two-year cycle with one year being an adjudication and award year; with the alternate year having a focus on community building and associated knowledge sharing.
Community building will be achieved through information exchange via channels such as newsletters, information exchanges virtually and in identified regions.
Participation in the community engagement poses a unique opportunity to refine, improve and grow existing initiatives through global exchange. It also provides a chance for MPA partners, like Lenovo, to engage with projects more directly and in depth.
One example of this is the relationship the UIAA has maintained with the last recipient of the MPA, the Gear Tips project from Brazil. Gear Tips recently reported on how winning the MPA in 2023 has enabled their project to advance in its goals an receive more of an international spotlight. Gear Tips has also been present in two significant UIAA activities over the past 12 months; as a presenter at the inaugural UIAA Mountain Sports Training Course in Bariloche, Argentina and as a featured story on the UIAA podcast Mountain Voices. The UIAA is keen for this type of collaboration to become the norm for all nominated projects going forward.
“Building on the tremendous platform created over the past 12 years; by recognising projects focused on sustainable mountain contributions, we are striving to enhance the impact of the Mountain Protection Award. Now with a two-year cycle, we will focus on assessment and award in 2025, followed by a year of community engagement and collaboration to aid the global interaction and impact that each of the diverse projects can provide. The renewed focus on legacy of the Mountain Protection Award would not be possible without our partners including Lenovo.”
Jeannette McGill – UIAA Mountain Protection Award Assessment Team
Application closes at midnight on 15 May. The assessment process will take place from May – early July. The showcase of projects on the UIAA communication channels will run from June-September. The Best New Initiative will be announced at the UIAA General Assembly in Kosovo on 25 October while the overall winner will be crowned at a dedicated ceremony to be held on International Mountain Day, 11 December, at a location to be confirmed.
Application Guidelines & Forms
Please read the application guidelines before applying for full details on eligibility and requirements.
Projects are encouraged to complete the offline application form in their own time before completing the online form. Completing the online form is mandatory and has to be done when all information is ready.
Assets
Download application guidelines
Download offline application form
Apply via the online application form
Visit the UIAA Mountain Protection Award webpage
