Alps – Himalaya - yesterday, today & tomorrow

The Millennium Goals in Austria Communities and in Villages of Nepal

This project by EcoHimal and dekade.at invites citizens of Austrian communities to create a unique photo exhibition  dealing with the millennium development goals of the United Nations.

Pictures from the Austrian Alps and from the Himalayas in Nepal build a visual bridge between the two mountain regions. The daily routines of some people living in Nepal bear a close resemblance to the way  our grandparents and sometimes even our parents lived and worked.  In the course of the project people are encouraged to look closely at the local developments in Austria and those in the faraway Himalayas. And it becomes apparent that the millennium development goals have great importance for all of us.

The Millennium Development Goals

In September 2000, the representative of 189 countries, mainly heads of state and government got together for a summit meeting at the United Nations in New York. As a result of this meeting the millennium declaration was adopted. Based on this agreement, eight internationally agreed goals were defined which the international community wants to achieve by 2015.

The Exhibition

The results of the project Alps & Himalayas will be presented in the communities as a photo exhibition. Each exhibition will be designed individually by the particular community. It therefore shows the individual  perspective of the participants and also the development of that community.

On several project evenings the photographic material of the participants will be collected and compared with photos from Nepal. Information on Nepal and the millennium development goals are the basis for a lively discussion on the differences and similarities of the two regions as well as the close interrelation between local action and global develpments. The word „tomorrow“ in the project title reflects thoughtful considerations on the future perspectives and opportunities of people in Austria and in Nepal. And how we can  take action and contribute towards achieving the millennium goals. The project results will be presented in the communities in a photo exhibition and will stimulate further discussions and activities.

The project is a cooperation between EcoHimal and dekade.at and is financially supported by the Austrian Development Cooperation. Experienced facilitators who work in development cooperation and in LA-21 processes and have extensive knowledge of the Himalayan region were involved in the concept and its implementation.

If you want to implement the project in your community please contact us directly.