How was the WMPA born?

The WMPA was born out of the World Mountain Forum held at UNESCO (Paris) and in Chambéry (Savoie – Alps) in June 2000 on the initiative of the National Association of Elected Officials of the Mountains (ANEM) and the town of Chambéry. As a result of the Forum, which brought together 70 countries and 900 participants, it was decided to create the World Mountain People Association to make the voice of the mountain people and the expression of their desires heard.

Who are we?

Today, the WMPA is present in more than 70 countries, on four continents. It is organised into regional or national organisations, according to the major mountain regions of the world: Europe, Andean America, Central and Eastern Africa, Central Asia, Himalayas and South-East Asia.

So that it can better represent all the lifeblood of the mountains, the WMPA is made up of three bodies:

• 1st body: elected officials, representatives of groups or communities, and other forms of local institutions in the mountain countries
• 2nd body: NGOs, associations arising from civil society, socio-professional groups, small-scale or industrial enterprises, etc.
• 3rd body: qualified persons (scientists, researchers or experts working alongside mountain populations) and any other person who wants to be involved in the mountains on an individual basis.

The Executive Board is made up of officials and representatives of the continents. It is responsible for co-ordinating the action carried out in the field and that managed by the working groups at international level. It defines and implements WMPA strategies and ensures its network becomes established.

The administrative team, based in Paris , is made up of a Director General who is assisted by a small team.

What are the aims of the association?

The work of the WMPA is motivated by three major objectives:

• to make mountains understood in an international arena and at the level of each country and continent
• to organise North-South and South-South exchange and co-operation between mountain territories and populations, in order to share knowledge, means and experiences
• to support and develop the local initiatives of the association’s members and partners

What positions does the WMPA defend in the world?

The WMPA is fighting for equitable and sustainable development, to ensure the continuity of the mountain identity. It intends to achieve this aim by implementing the Charter of world mountain populations. This Charter proposes:

• harmonious development based on the controlled operation of their resources by populations
• the recognition of the rights of mountain populations in the local governance of their territories, with the aim of improving their living conditions and promoting their development
• fair access to social goods, services and equipment
• the respecting and valuing of the identities, cultures and specific characteristics of the mountain.

How is the WMPA financed?

The WMPA operates largely thanks to the voluntary involvement of its members, institutional partners and NGOs.

For the first three years of its existence, the WMPA has been financed by ANEM, the French authorities, the Swiss government, territorial groups, foundations and certain private partners. The year 2005 is a year of transition as we wait for more durable financing solutions to be set up. We plan to organise the participation of members (groups, associations and organisations, individuals) to meet the costs of operating our international structure. The WMPA is planning to create a World Mountain Foundation, which will allow WMPA action programmes to be financed with the involvement of private partners.