ISLAMABAD, Sunday, July 20, 2025 (WNP): The 21st National Children’s Mountain Conservation Meet (NCMC), organized by Adventure Foundation Pakistan (AFP), concluded on a high note in Islamabad, bringing together 100 young participants from across the country for an immersive environmental learning experience in the breathtaking Siran Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The 10-day environmental education camp culminated in a Children’s Mountain Forum held at Margalla Hotel, Islamabad, where the budding “Eco-Guards” showcased presentations on the theme “Climate Change and its Impact on the Mountain Environment.” The forum was graced by the Italian Ambassador to Pakistan, Marilina Armellin, as the chief guest.

Welcoming the participants, Ali Hasan Habib, President of AFP, lauded the children and staff for successfully completing the conservation programme and praised their dedication to preserving Pakistan’s natural heritage.

Aftab Rana, National Coordinator of the NCMC, briefed the audience on the origins of the initiative, launched in 2002 during the International Year of Mountains. He said the meet uses Pakistan’s diverse mountain environments as a living classroom to educate children about fragile ecosystems, biodiversity, and climate resilience.

“Each year, nearly 100 children from different regions of Pakistan are selected for this hands-on conservation camp,” Rana said. “They leave not just with knowledge, but with a commitment to act—earning the title of ‘Eco-Guards’ and pledging to undertake community-based environmental actions.”

During the forum, young speakers shared their field observations and offered actionable recommendations to government departments on addressing climate change impacts in Pakistan’s mountainous areas. The event concluded with the presentation of a joint petition by the children, calling for stronger environmental protection and climate adaptation efforts.

In her address, Ambassador Armellin appreciated AFP’s mission of reconnecting youth with nature in an increasingly digital world. “We must ensure our young generations remain grounded in the realities of Mother Earth,” she said.

The ambassador highlighted over a century of Italian-Pakistani cooperation in mountain and glacier research, recalling that Italy’s first expedition to the region occurred in 1909. She also noted Italy’s mountaineering legacy on K2, including the 1954 first ascent by Italian climbers Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni, and the establishment of the widely used “Abruzzi Spur” route.

Ambassador Armellin praised the students’ petition and expressed hope that relevant authorities would act on the children’s recommendations to safeguard Pakistan’s mountain environments.

To date, over 2,500 young participants and 500 staff have taken part in AFP’s NCMC initiative. Since its founding in 1980, the Adventure Foundation Pakistan remains the country’s only non-commercial organization dedicated to promoting environmental awareness and resilience through outdoor adventure-based education for all age groups.