Deepening the ties between Italy and Pakistan and Italy's love for Pakistan's Mountains.

S ince the time's bilateral ties between Italy and Pakistan were established, they became stronger over the years. The mountainous regions in the north of Pakistan have benefitted especially from Italy's continuous support in numerous fields. Northern parts of the country are blessed with incredibly beautiful topographies, forests, cold deserts, snow-capped mountains, and a rich cultural legacy. However, the region faces challenges in dealing with the threats emerging from climate change. This signifies the role of the international community, willing to support this region, and calls for a coping strategy with financial and technical assistance. In this regard, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) has been of paramount support, with several projects in the region that led to substantial improvement in people's lives. EvK2CNR, an Italian organization working in Pakistan for over two decades, has been AICS' implementing partner for many projects in collaboration with the provincial government, local communities, and other stakeholders.

The Italian Government's support has proved to be vital for preserving the fragile environment, helping the vulnerable mountain communities -that capitalize on available natural resources such as agriculture and ecotourism for improved livelihood-which leads to integrated sustainable development. EvK2CNR continues to realize AICS projects in the northern areas, which are not only aligned with the development goals of the local government but also in line with the SDGs. These projects are completed by combining research (and capacity building for intrinsic knowledge generation) with community development and ecological management as fundamental aspects. The project "Glaciers and Students" is a recent endowment to conserve the vulnerable glaciers of the area that are considered the third pole for their biggest glacial deposition.

Executed by UNDP and implemented by...