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First step to the summit: international team starts to gather at IUCN HQ Gland, Switzerland 23 August 2002
David Sheppard, Head of the IUCN Programme on Protected Areas and Bill Jackson, Director of Global Programme welcomed the first arrivals from India and Pakistan for the ‘Swiss summit for the environment and peace’. President of the UIAA, Ian McNaught-Davis, was also in Gland to welcome the first arrivals. Nazir Sabir and Sher Khan from Pakistan and Mandip Singh Soin from India got a first hand account of IUCN’s work to protect the environment and promote sustainable development globally. David Sheppard highlighted the importance of this joint initiative for the specific objectives it is pursuing and also as the first step in a new partnership between IUCN and UIAA.
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The team of mountaineers were also very warmly welcomed in Leysin where the first part of their mission will take place. André Hefti, speaking on behalf of the Commune of Leysin and the organisations helping to host the visitors said:
“It is great to be welcoming mountaineers who are showing their commitment to promoting co-operation and peace, protection of the environment and sustainable development.”
The Village of Leysin is an excellent starting point for the climbers both for acclimatisation and starting their discussions. The visitors are also the special guests of the ‘Nuit des Fees’, an annual festival in Leysin, which is celebrating the theme of mountains in this the International Year of Mountains. René Pavillard of the Ecole d’Alpinisme said:
“It is excellent to welcome such experienced mountaineers to Leysin during a celebration of mountains. I hope they will enjoy their climbs on Tour d’Ai and other peaks in the area.”
Roger Payne the UIAA’s Sports and Development Director made a special thank you to the following for their help in Leysin:
Gaby Guignard, présent USL
Pierre-Alain Lombardi, Syndic
Jean-Marc Udroit, Municipal et hôtelier
Thierry Jeanningros, Leysin Tourisme
René Vaudroz and Gilles Cottet, Tele Leysin
Bernard Isenschmied, secrétaire municipal
René Paillard, Ecole d’alpinisme
André Hefti, Hefti Sport
On the Saturday evening and Sunday the IUCN-UIAA ‘Summit Team’ joined the celebrations in the village of Leysin for the ‘Nuit des Fees’ village festival which had the theme of mountains for the international year of mountains. The Mayor of Leysin officially welcomed the visitors from overseas and congratulated them on there work to promote protection of the environment, sustainable development and cooperation and peace. As a mark of solidarity on behalf of the Commune of Leysin the Mayor presented a cheque to Jamie Andrew and the UIAA’s Sports and Development Director Roger Payne as a donation to charity to benefit disabled young people and the victims of landmines.
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Leysin launch to ‘first ascent’: IUCN-UIAA Summit Team starts to work, Leysin, Switzerland 24-25 August
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To start both the acclimatisation and discussions about protection for the environment and promoting peace and cooperation the UIAA President Ian McNaught-Davis joined the Summit Team for an ascent of the Tour d’Ai by the via ferrata.
Quadruple amputee Jamie Andrew was climbing a via ferrata for the first time as were the rest of the team from India and Pakistan. As far as anyone knew this climb was the first ever joint Indo-Pakistan mountaineering ascent and therefore marks an historic start to the team’s deliberations. The team also included Georgina Peard from IUCN, local host Julie-Ann Clyma and Loreto McNaught-Davis.
Some comments from the first day:
Ian McNaught-Davis: “The Tour d’Ai via ferrata is excellent and it was a real privilege to make the ascent with the ‘Summit Team’. This is a great start to an important gathering.”
Mandip Singh Soin: “Super to experience the via ferrata on Tour d’Ai with fellow climbers from Pakistan, UK, New Zealand and Ireland with the friendship and team spirit that mountaineers are used to.”
Jamie Andrew: “My first experience of a via ferrata and a truly remarkable expedition, as much for the diversity of the nationalities and the cultures present as for the quality of the route.”
Nazir Sabir: “It was a unique a unique occasion to be in the Alps but more so with an international team with a slogan for friendship sharing in our hearts as people – a human cause we share. Climbing up the via ferrata was again a new experience too. It was so wonderful to have great weather.”
Sher Khan: “I was so delighted to be here and on this incredible climb with friends from across the border from India. It was an eye opener for me to do something for climbers in my own country. The idea is fantastic. All my best wishes to all who gave me this opportunity to be here.”
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Harish Kapadia: “I walked up to the summit with Loreto chatting all the way. But discussing how the via ferrata was made and talking to its maker I learned how this could be suitable for a few routes around Bombay. The view on the summit was great and walking down with Ian McNaught-Davis still better with his views on various subjects.”
Another historic first for the IUCN-UIAA Summit Team:
India and Pakistan flags fly together for the first time on a mountain peak, Leysin, Switzerland 26 August
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Glacier 3000 provided a warm welcome to the IUCN-UIAA Summit Team for an important acclimatisation day. With the incredible uplift from the lift from Col du Pillon to Botta 3000 the Team was able to make an ascent of the summit of Les Diablerets (3208m). Despite the cloud and sometimes wet weather the Team was in high spirits and had a highly rewarding and productive day for several reasons.
In the words of the Summit Team members:
Nazir Sabir: “Apart from everything else today was the most important day for me because two unique things happening right in the middle of the European Alps. The first and foremost was that it was my first day on a real glaciated area and a mountain in this part of the world; where mountaineering took birth as a sport and it has been my long yearning to come and climb in the Alps. So finally it did happen this day in the late afternoon. The second most important thing that again remained a long dream since the early 80’s was to climb with Indian climbers.
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Today Les Diablerets provided the opportunity to embrace that dream when friends and known mountaineering figures were able to unfold the two national flags (both often at odds for the last 53 years) for the first time on a mountain top; a place were often politics and governments never manage to reach. A place that is the purest part of nature that is always out to mend and heal human relationships, a universal spiritual source of spreading peace and tranquillity amongst individuals and nations alike.”
Sher Khan: “What a wonderful day – a very good climb with friends and the zenith of today’s events was noteworthy. On the summit of Diablerets we had our two flags fluttering; the Indian and Pakistan flags. This was a real sight that could only be possible with the efforts of the UIAA and IUCN. I hope, as we like alpinists have taken a lead others will also do the same and make our region a symbol of peace.”
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Jamie Andrew: “Despite the less than perfect weather it was a tremendous experience to reach an alpine summit in the company of such an inspirational group of mountaineers. In an age when prejudice and mistrust are such a barrier to international cooperation and understanding it was wonderful to share in a moment when issues of nationality and ability where laid aside in favour of the simple pleasure of enjoying being in the mountains in the company of good friends. Long may the mountains be an arena where this level of comradeship can break down the barriers that confront the world in the 21st century.”
Mandip Singh Soin: “As we unfurled our Indian and Pakistan flags together as a climbing team of Indian and Pakistan climbers in the Vaud Canton of the Swiss Alps I felt a flutter in my heart as well. The strong camaraderie that existed came through so strongly the rope we were tied to; it was more like a rope of friendship and as a climber I would have no hesitation to put my life in Sher Khan’s hands, as I am sure he would have. Somehow we need to transmit and feel the goodwill that is latent in every heart of Indian’s and Pakistani’s for we were one once. This could perhaps be encouraged through more ‘people to people’ contact at different levels – be it in sport, culture, music or whatever. I am confident that just as mountaineers display grit and determination in achieving their objective and sometimes have to try different routes to get to their objective, we hope our governments will also allow different routes or approaches to be tried to breakdown the wall of misunderstanding and then go together to the summit of peace, cooperation and understanding.”
Harish Kapadia: “I share what others have said about the India and Pakistan flags on the summit and sharing a rope. By now, we four from India and Pakistan have been talking in our language, exchanging notes about missing cultural links, gossip and jokes. This is what happens when barriers are removed: people come together and culture flows freely across borders. The climb we did today together symbolises all that, and now a bond is being established – so essential to solve and understand everything.”
Summit Team lives up to Olympic spirit:
IOC invites Summit Team to Olympic Museum, Luasanne, Switzerland 27 August
“This project in itself is a true demonstration of values inherent to sport such as courage, friendship, respect, peace and universality. We can only praise such a commendable project.” Dr Jacques Rogge, IOC President
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The IOC Sports Operations Manager Olivier Lenglet’s invitation to the IUCN-UIAA Summit Team to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne was recognition that the aims of this mission are shared by the Olympic Movement. The Team was able to meet members of the Association of Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF) which was holding a meeting at the Olympic Museum and at the same time learn something about the history of the Olympics and current work.
The IUCN-UIAA Summit Team clearly lives up to the standards of the Olympic Charter, established by Pierre de Coubertin, which set out the goal of the Olympic Movement as being to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.
This Olympic goal and spirit is also reflected in the aims of the UIAA’s dossier of proposals for ‘Cooperation and peace, protection of the environment and sporting excellence’ and the aims of this IUCN-UIAA ‘Swiss summit’.
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After the visit to the Olympic Museum the Team then travelled to Grindelwald where they were welcomed by Grindelwald Tourism and the Jungfraubhan and took the amazing train journey through the Eiger to Jungfraujoch (3454m) which is the highest and most spectacular railway station in the World.
From Jungfraujoch the team then made the short journey by foot to the Monchjoch Hut (3650m). This high mountain hut is owned by the Society of Grindelwald Mountain Guides and is one of many such huts in the Swiss Alps providing accommodation for mountaineers.
Most mountain huts in the Swiss Alps are owned and managed by the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) which has almost 100'000 members and 152 mountain huts and is one of the oldest bodies in Switzerland helping people to enjoy mountains responsibly.
The SAC has a very wide range of development programmes in areas such as safety, young people and competitions but one of its most important programmes is the Environment Commission which promotes mountain conservation and sustainable development. The SAC Environment Commission has a new campaign aimed at reducing motorised transport in mountain areas and promoting the use of public transport for mountain activities with special recommended routes, information on services, and discounted combined train and mountain hut tickets. The SAC produces a wide range of information sheets, videos, guidebooks and other publications and runs specialist training courses aimed at helping visitors to the mountains enjoy and protect the natural environment.
Swiss Summit success:
IUCN-UIAA Summit Team achieves its goal Monchsjoch Hut, Switzerland 28 August
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At 10:00 the IUCN-UIAA team of climbers who had gathered in Switzerland for a summit to promote protection of the environment and cooperation and peace reached its goal on the summit of the Monch in the recently designated Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn natural World Heritage Site. The sentiments of the team was summarised by quadruple amputee Jamie Andrew from Scotland:
“For me it is always an emotional experience standing on the summit of an alpine peak as it was here in the Alps that I lost my hands and feet and my climbing partner Jamie Fisher.
But today was a particularly special moment sharing the summit with friends from Pakistan and India who have overcome their own different barriers to come to Switzerland and climb together.
The Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn natural World Heritage Site is a tremendously beautiful and spectacular region and it would be great to see other mountain regions under threat receive the same level of recognition and protection.”
Nazir Sabir: “Today on the entire climb my mind remained occupied with thinking of how often the people of India and Pakistan had been kept away from so much happening between them. It is such a tragedy that commonly enjoyed sport is not allowed between our two countries. Yet thankfully through links link this there is hope to bring our two nations closer.
Even the staunch enemies of the Cold War which divided the World have overcome old barriers and come closer together. The Berlin Wall was dismantled, so let us hope the psychological wall that exists between our people can also be dismantled and we can live like natural neighbours and friends.”
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UN Special Adviser congratulates mountaineers for “showing the way”, Grindelwald, Switzerland 29 August
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Mr. Adolf Ogi the Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary General on Sport for Development and Peace gave very strong praise to the IUCN-UIAA Summit Team on their descent from the high peaks of the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn natural World Heritage Site. Speaking at a special reception organised by Grindelwald Tourism for the Summit Team Mr Ogi said that the commitment and determination shown by the climbers to promote peace was fantastic. He said:
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“As mountaineers you have shown the way that I hope others will follow to promote peace through sport.”
Mr Ogi heard a first hand account from Harish Kapadia on the situation on the Siachen Glacier. The other members of the Summit Team also related to Mr Ogi how mountain tourism in the Himalayas and Karakoram has been devastated by the affect of the tragic events of last September in America and the tensions earlier this year between India and Pakistan.
Mr Ogi stressed how valuable sport is to building a better world and hoped that other sporting links between India and Pakistan would soon be resumed. He also said how important it is to protect the environment for future generations to enjoy.
UIAA President Ian McNaught-Davis also congratulated the team on behalf of the IUCN and UIAA for promoting ‘peace zones’ as a means to overcome border disputes and protect mountain regions and the freedom to enjoy the mountains.
Representatives from IUCN and UIAA will be briefing the press in Geneva on protecting mountain eco-systems and promoting transboundary protected areas for peace and cooperation. The members of the Summit Team will also be giving their views on protecting mountains, promoting eco-tourism and a peace zone for the Siachen Glacier.
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Harish Kapadia, Sher Khan, Mandip Singh Soin and Nazir Sabir in the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn natural World Heritage Site and promoting “people to people” contact through sport to promote cooperation, understanding and peace between India and Pakistan.
Organisers and the Summit Team just before briefing the media in Geneva. Left to right: Roger Payne (UIAA), Steve Edwards (IUCN), Georgina Peard (IUCN), Sher Khan, Mandip Singh Soin, Nazir Sabir, Aamir Ali (IUCN), Harish Kapadia, Jamie Andrew and Tom Hammond (IUCN).After a final briefing for the media at the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva the members of the Summit Team agreed the following declaration:
After a final briefing for the media at the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva the members of the Summit Team agreed the following declaration:
The members of the IUCN-UIAA Summit Team climbed together in Switzerland between 24 and 29 August 2002 to recognise the success of the Swiss Government in achieving UNESCO natural World Heritage status for the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn region and to promote transboundary co-operation for sustainable development and peace. As the Team was comprised of mountaineers from India and Pakistan and a quadruple amputee from Scotland a number of notable firsts were achieved. These included climbs of the via ferrata on the Tour d’Ai (2330m), Les Diablerets (3209m), and the Monch (4099m).
The Summit Team:
- Congratulates the Government of Switzerland for achieving UNESCO natural World Heritage status for the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn region and hopes that such protection can be achieved for other important mountain regions around the world. The Team also congratulates IUCN and UIAA for their work to promote transboundary protected areas for peace and cooperation and hopes that a designation such as this can be considered by the appropriate authorities for other areas such as the Siachen Glacier and the Mont Blanc Range.
- Stresses the value of international links and exchanges in sport, culture and tourism and believes these are very effective vehicles for promoting peace, cooperation and understanding, that help to avoid misunderstandings between people of different backgrounds. The Summit Team believes that protected status for mountains must be linked to access for mountaineering, climbing, trekking and eco-tourism which are highly valuable for sustainable development in remote mountain regions.
- Thanks the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) and all those bodies that provided hospitality and help for the opportunity to climb in Switzerland and interact as sportsmen, to exchange ideas and experience, and to consider some of the issues affecting mountain regions of the world in the United Nations International Year of Mountains 2002 and International Year of Eco Tourism 2002.
The Summit Team forged a close friendship in the mountains of Switzerland and hopes that others will follow this example of goodwill and determination. The Team also hopes that sports organisations in India and Pakistan will make new efforts to share and enjoy the common sporting and cultural interests of the two nations which would lead to co-operation and understanding.
Jamie Andrew, United Kingdom
Harish Kapadia, India
Sher Khan, Pakistan
Nazir Sabir, Pakistan
Mandip Singh Soin, India
Acknowledgements:
The Summit Team thanks IUCN and UIAA and all those organisations and individuals who welcomed the Team in Switzerland including:
In Leysin:
Gaby Guignard, president USL
Pierre-Alain Lombardi, Syndic
Jean-Marc Udriot, Municipal et Hotelier
Thierry Jeanningros, dir Leysin Tourisme
René Vaudroz and Gilles Cottet, Tele Leysin
Bernard Isenschmied, secrétaire municipal
René Pavillard and Steve Jones Ecole d’Alpinisme
Andre Hefti, Hefti Sports
All the staff at the Hotel Central Residence
Julie-Ann Clyma
In Les Diablerets:
Simon Dutoit, Glacier 3000
In the Jungfrau Region:
Walter Steuri, Jungfraubhan
Claudia Fau, Grindlewald Tourism
All the staff at the Monchjochs Hut
Maya Sonderegger Sowe, UNICEF
In India:
Austrian Airways
Nike (India)
In the UK:
Laurent Derioz and Richard Heap, Slackjaw Films
British Mountaineering Council
Finally, the Summit Team thanks all those other people who gave advice and support to the organisers and Team members including:
Green Globe
Himalayan Environment Trust
Himalayan Club
International Institute for Peace and Tourism
Pacific Asia Travel Association
Skal International
Leysin, Switzerland 30 August 2002
Also see Aamir Ali's article 'A Siachen Peace Park: The solution to a Half-Centuary of International Conflict?' published in Mountain Research and Development, Vol 22, No 4, November 2002.
Summit Team background details
Harish Kapadia is from Bombay and an international authority on the Himalayas. He has climbed 33 Himalayan peaks of which 21 were first ascents and has crossed 138 Himalayan Passes. Harish is one of the few people to have explored and climbed in the East Karakoram. Seven of Harish's expeditions have been joint international teams of which three he jointly led with Sir Chris Bonington. Harish is a member and office bearer of a number of mountaineering bodies including being Vice President of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation and the Editor of the highly regarded Himalayan Journal. He has written 11 books on mountaineering in the Himalayas and in 1993 was awarded the President's Gold Medal by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation. Earlier this summer as the joint leader of an India-Japan expedition Harish made a traverse from Shyok via the Karakoram Pass to the Nubra valley and Siachen Glacier.
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Jamie Andrew is from Edinburgh and who with close friend Jamie Fisher was one of a young generation of British alpine climbers attempting difficult climbs in the greater ranges. In February 1999 both climbers were caught in a ferocious storm near the summit of Les Droites in the Mont Blanc Range. Tragically Jamie Fisher did not survive the 5 nights the climbers were trapped and Jamie Andrew suffered severe frostbite which resulted in the amputation of both hands and both feet. Jamie made an inspirational recovery from his injuries and within 18 months of his accident, and using custom built artificial legs and walking sticks, he climbed Ben Nevis to raise funds for charity. He has also made a return to ski-ing and ice climbing. In March this year Jamie ran the London Marathon raising funds for charity and in May he took part in an international rock climbing meet with the theme of overcoming barriers to participation.
Mandip Singh Soin is from New Delhi and is an internationally recognised adventure person and leader in Eco Tourism. Mandip's expeditions include first ascents in the Himalayas to being an instructor on Robert Swan's UN 'Ice Walk' expedition to the North Pole as well as rafting, cycling, camel, and elephant expeditions. In 1979, he founded Ibex Expeditions, an adventure & eco travel company, that has won the Government of India's Award of Excellence as India's most Eco Friendly Organisation; Green Globe Distinction Award; PATA Gold Award; World Travel Market Environmental Company Award; and the PATA Asia Discovery Award. In 1992, Mandip was nominated India's most versatile Adventure sportsperson and is the only Indian to receive the Ness Award from the Royal Geographical Society, UK. He is Chairman of the PATA Environment & Eco Tourism Committee for India and has contributed to many international conferences.
Nazir Sabir is from Hunza and is an internationally recognised high-altitude mountaineer. He has climbed four of the five 8000m peaks in Pakistan including a demanding new route on the world's second highest peak K2. In 1988 he founded Nazir Sabir Expeditions which is a recognised leader for adventure holidays which has resulted in extensive travel to promote the culture, history and environment of Pakistan. In 1994 he was elected as the representative for Hunza to the Northern Area Legislative Council and in 1995 was appointed as the Adviser for Education and in 1998 the Adviser for Tourism. In 1982 Nazir was awarded the President's Medal for Pride of Performance for outstanding achievements in mountaineering and in 2001 he was awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Star of Distinction) by the President of Pakistan for outstanding achievements in mountaineering and being the first Pakistani to climb Everest.
Sher Khan is from Hunza and is an internationally recognised high-altitude mountaineer. He has climber three of the five 8000m peaks in Pakistan including the notorious Nanga Parbat. In 1982 with the world famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner Sher Khan made ultra fasts ascents of Broad Peak and Gasherbrum 2. He has also led and summited on 2 highly successful Pakistan Army expeditions and in 1997 reached 8600m on the North Ridge of Everest. Sher Khan's high-altitude mountaineering and military career have developed in tandem: in 1984 with the President's Medal for Pride of Performance for sport, in 1986 the Tamga-i-Basalat awarded for outstanding performance in officer training school, in 1989 the Sitara-i-Basalat for outstanding performance in mountaineering, and in 1998 the Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Distinction) awarded by the President of Pakistan for meritorious service and devotion to duty.