The Resilient Mountains
Snow Leopards & Mountain Communities
Artwork & Poetry Contest 2021
The worldwide pandemic brought challenges globally. Nothing and no one was unaffected. Lives and livelihoods were threatened as the world shut down, particularly for mountain communities who in addition to the raising of livestock depend a great deal on ecotourism as a source of income.
As the world waited for normalcy, the mission of conservationists and environmentalists could not. Their work continued as the threats to the environment, climate, and biodiversity remained.
We are so proud of our associates and partners in the field and their teams who persevered, bringing much needed food and supplies to communities that were cut off due to shut-downs and quarantine. They continued to plan, conduct training and educational classes and activities virtually, and when and where they could, reached out to continue their work in person with mountain communities who are the stewards of the ecosystem.
To the people who live in the high mountains of Asia, the snow leopard has long been a source of spiritual power and strength and of continuity – a guardian over its domain. It has also been a symbol of the resilience of a species that survives despite the extreme challenges of its environment. The 2021 Art and Poetry Contest honored both the snow leopard and the members of the mountain communities who share its home and their resilience despite adversity.
