Forty-four years after the Kathmandu Declaration, the science communication project «Back to Kathmandu», supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation’s (SNSF) Agora programme and led by the University of Fribourg, revisits the question of how to protect mountain regions in the face of the climate crisis, placing the experiences and perspectives of local communities at its heart. A documentary film and a travelling exhibition will bring these perspectives to a wider audience.

Adopted in 1982, the Kathmandu Declaration called for the protection of mountain environments and respect for the cultural heritage and dignity of local communities. More than four decades later, these commitments have gained renewed relevance in the face of the climate crisis. The «Back to Kathmandu» project revisits the declaration by bringing together the experiences and knowledge of people whose lives are closely connected to the mountains, in both Switzerland and Nepal.

What changes are people witnessing in their mountain environments? How do they describe their relationship with these landscapes? And whose knowledge is considered when decisions are made about what should be protected? These are among the questions the project explores through an approach centred on listening, exchange and dialogue.

Listening to Communities in Nepal's Mountains
The project team has begun gathering interviews and research materials in Pokhara, including at the International Mountain Museum. Discussions continued in Kathmandu alongside the General Assembly of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA), where the project was presented on 29 October 2026. Meanwhile, fieldwork in the Khumbu region has reached Namche.

These encounters provide insights into the diverse ways people experience mountain environments and help explore what the commitments made in 1982 mean today.

«By returning to the Kathmandu Declaration, we want to listen to people’s experiences of the mountains and explore what its commitments mean today, in the face of the climate emergency. Through interviews, a documentary and an exhibition, we hope to bring these voices into a wider public conversation», explains Professor Claude Hauser, who leads the project at the University of Fribourg.

Bringing Local Knowledge and Experiences to the Fore
Beyond environmental concerns, «Back to Kathmandu» places the human, social and cultural dimensions of mountain conservation at the centre of its work.

« Mountains hold not only natural beauty, but also people’s histories, knowledge and ways of life. Listening to these experiences helps us understand what is at stake in the climate emergency, and what we need to protect for future generations», says Nirmala Neupane, Director of the International Mountain Museum.

A Documentary and Travelling Exhibition to Continue the Conversation
Initial accounts and observations are already being shared in a field journal on the project's website. Further interviews and thematic features will be added as the work progresses.

A documentary film is also in development, while a travelling exhibition will bring the project to audiences through images, sound and opportunities for public engagement. Together, these formats aim to make diverse perspectives on mountain conservation accessible and encourage dialogue beyond academia.

An Interdisciplinary Project Supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation
Led by Professor Claude Hauser at the University of Fribourg, «Back to Kathmandu» brings together researchers from the Universities of Fribourg and Lausanne, UniDistance Suisse, film and science communication professionals, and Professor Binod Dawadi of Tribhuvan University in Nepal.

The project is supported by the Agora programme of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), which promotes dialogue between science and society.

Project and field journal
Press kit and resources (Images: © Johann Roduit)
Project information on the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) website