Are you between 14 and 30 years old, an active climber or hiker, and enjoy meeting new people from other countries?
Then one of this year's UIAA Global Youth Summit events might be for you: a climbing camp in Romania, a Russian rock climbing festival, treks in Italy and South Africa and ascents of Mount Elbrus, Russia and Mt. Kazbek, Georgia.
"The 2009 UIAA Global Youth Summit offers the participants an opportunity to be active in some incredibly beautiful landscapes," says Anne Arran, president of the UIAA Youth Commission. The commission co-ordinates the events, which are organised by UIAA member federations.
Linda McMillan, the new president of the UIAA Mountain Protection Commission, presents her vision of how climbers, mountaineers and trekkers can help study and protect mountain environments.
In the following article, McMillan argues that the UIAA can “claim the high ground” on mountain protection:
From my work with the IUCN’s Mountains Biome group, I see the need and the opportunity to bring three important mountain stakeholder groups—science, sport, and tourism—together to improve mountain protection around the world. Most scientists have not yet realized the great natural potential of sport and tourism to help them to document, understand, preserve and protect precious natural and cultural resources in mountain regions.
The ice climbing World Cup season successfully concluded on February 8 in Busteni, Romania.
The four events in four different countries drew thousands of spectators, and for the first time, the UIAA provided a full range of up-to-date reports, including results, stories and video streams.
Some of the competitions were shown live on the internet, including the World Championships in Saas Fee (January 22-24) and the World Cup finals in Busteni, Romania (February 5-8).
The UIAA has also published all of the official results from each competition. A list of all the athletes registered for the UIAA Ice Climbing Competitions can be found here.
Engineer and mountaineer Pit Schubert has been elected the UIAA's latest honorary member, in thanks for his extensive work on making the sport safer. The German climber played a major role in establishing the UIAA Safety Label standards for mountaineering equipment.
From 1973 until 2004, Schubert was a member of the UIAA Safety Commission and for the last eight years he served as president. He founded the Safety Commission of the German Alpine Association (DAV) in 1968 and was the association's safety director for 32 years.
Originally Pit Schubert trained as a mechanical engineer and worked for 15 years in the aeronautics and space industries.
The UIAA Access and Conservation Commission has called on the tourism authorities in Jammu and Kashmir to re-instate infrastructure to allow for the resumption of mountaineering.
“We owe it to our Indian colleagues in the UIAA to attempt a realistic and sober assessment of the risk involved,” said Commission President, Robert Pettigrew.
The Pir Panjal range of the Kashmir Himalaya has been closed to mountain tourism for 15 years due to the armed conflict in the region. Both journalists and officials have now expressed cautious optimism that some important mountaineering areas can be re-opened for trekking and climbing. Members of the Access and Conservation Commission have visited the Pir Panjal to discuss the issues.
Do you want to spend the summer holiday doing what you like best: meeting new people while climbing, hiking, rafting, caving and much more?
If you are between 14 and 30 years old and a member of a UIAA federation, you have the chance to do just that. This summer UIAA Member Federations are organising about ten different international youth events in Europe and Asia.
You can take part in ascents of Mount Olympus, Mount Kazbek and Mount Elbrus, a route setting and climbing meet in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, multi-activity camps in Germany and Slovenia (extended registration deadline!), rock climbing in Russia and Romania, a Mountain Protection meet in Japan, caving in Romania and a youth trek in Italy. You will find invitations and registration forms in the calendar.
What are you waiting for? Let's get out in the mountains!
The Mountain Club of South Africa is inviting you to a Winter meet in Drakensberg, 5 to 13 July 2008. This is for you who want to experience Sout Africa's premier ice climbing venue, Giant’s Castle, as well as rock climbing. The registration deadline is 31 May 2008. First-come, first-served!
For the world's best crack climbing, parties and new international climbing friends, head out for the International Climber's meet, Utah, United States, 3-14 October 2008. This is a great opportunity for two (one male and one female) young climbers from each country. Registration deadline: 1st July.
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