ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Mountain Festival which included a number of activities concluded on Sunday.The festival was organised by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in collaboration with Lok Virsa Islamabad and nongovernmental organization Devcom Pakistan.

As part of the activities, an awareness walk and cleanliness drive was organised at Trail 3 in which more than 250 students from different universities and people from other walks of life participated. To highlight the beauty of Pakistan’s mountainous regions and the country’s great potential for mountaineering and tourism, a photography exhibition was organised.

A seminar on the environmental challenges facing mountain ecologies and communities also took place where experts gave delivered presentations followed by discussion sessions. Dance and musical performances highlighting the culture of Kalash and Hunza valley added vibrancy to the festival and delighted audiences.

Students were also taken on a trip to the 60 feet high artificial climbing wall at the Ibex Club at Lake View park to promote interest in rock climbing.

Three international films were screened during festival to educate people living down country about high altitude mountaineering and challenges of climate change.

Clips of the recent “Pakistan K2 Expedition” were also screened. While 67 students from different universities and colleges participated in a live painting competition with the theme of ‘mountains and water’.

CDA Chairman Maroof Afzal while speaking at the concluding ceremony said that CDA is planning to organise other cultural events as well as sports tournaments featuring traditional sports to promote healthy activities.

“In order to provide well-maintained sports facilities for the residents of Islamabad, CDA has initiated a project aimed at maintaining all sports grounds of Islamabad in the collaboration with the private sector,” he said.

Devcom-Pakistan Director Munir Ahmed said environmental degradation directly impacts people’s economic wellbeing.

“I believe that steps need to be taken to tackle challenges of climate change, deforestation, biodiversity loss and solid waste management,” he said.

Published in Dawn December 15th , 2014