Karakorum Trust

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SPECIAL EVENTS "Italia-Karakorum" (italian only)

The Karakorum Trust Project represents the Italian response t

PROJECT

GOAL	sustainable development of the Central Karakorum
PERIOD	2005-2008
METHOD	Implementation of the Central Karakorum National Park (CKNP)
MEANS	Coordinated management of a set of existing and possible initiatives in sectors crucial for development in the area.

PREMISES

The historical tie between Italy and Pakistan goes back to the early 1900s, with the first scientific missions in Karakorum led by the Duke of the Abruzzi.

• July 31, 1954 The Italian expedition led by Prof. Ardito Desio reached the summit of K2
  (8.611m) for the first time, with the mountaineers Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni.
• July 26, 2004 Italy returned to the summit of K2 with the commemorative scientificmountaineering expedition K2 2004, coordinated by the Ev-K²-CNR Committee.

This tie led to several institutional meetings between representatives of Italian and Pakistani
governments during K2 Golden Jubilee celebrations and gave rise to:

• signing of the bilateral Tourism Cooperation Agreement (2004)
• start of negotiations for the Cultural, Scientific, and Technological Cooperation Agreement
• activation of several Italian projects aimed at sustainable development of the
  Northern Areas and promotion of tourism in the mountain areas of the country,
  to be carried out over the next 4 years.

AREA

CKNP is a major trekking and mountaineering destination from all over the world, because of its extraordinary geographical position, cultural heritage and rich biodiversity. Like many other high mountain areas, it is to be protected as fragile ecosystem (Agenda 21, Ch. 13).

Several exploratory and scientific campaigns carried out between the 1930s and the 1950s by Prof. Ardito Desio contributed in declaration of the area as a National Park, but till now it has existed only "on paper". Today, there is no management plan or personnel in place to effectively implement the Park.

The mountain ecosystem is vulnerable and structural factors hinder sustainable development of the region, e.g.:

• non-sustainable use of natural resources
• obsolete and ineffective regulations
• fragmented decisional power
• traditional lack of capacity in systemic planning.

STRATEGY

1. creation of a system for definition, activation and coordination of projects aimed at development of the CKNP area
2. implementation of the Central Karakorum National Park (CKNP). 

MAIN ACTORS

ITALIAN ORGANIZATIONS	INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS	LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Directorate General for Development Cooperation Ministry of Education, University and Research Ministry of Economy and Finance Ministry of Environment CNR - National Council for Research Ev-K2-CNR Committee CESVI ÿ Cooperation and Development Stelvio National Park State Forestry Corps of Italy ANTEA Association Amici di Lorenzo Association Ragni di Lecco Group	Mountain and Glacier Protection Organization (MGPO) Rural Support Programmes Network Aga Khan Trust for Culture/Aga Khan Rural Support Programme IUCN ÿ The world conservation union (Pakistan) ICIMOD - International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development UNEP - United Nations Environment Programme (Asia) UIAA - Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme	Ministry of Kashmir and Ministry of the Northern Areas Ministry of Environment Northern Areas Administration, Gilgit Skardu and Ghanche districts Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) Mountain Glacier Protection Organization (MGPO) Karakorum International Universiy Deputy Commissioner Skardu Adventure Tours Pakistan Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) Force Commander Northern Areas