UN Diplomat From Tajikistan Shares Her Story With Utah Valley University Students

Shabnam Mullo-Abdolova (fourth from right) with students and members of UVU Foreign Affairs club

On Thursday, March 24, 2011, students of Utah Valley University enjoyed the unique opportunity of hearing the stories and experience of a young woman, currently working with the UN in Sudan, who amazingly enough has a lot in common with many of the students.

Shabnam Mullo-Abdolova is originally from the town of Khorog, which is located high in the mountains of Tajikistan, a small mountainous country in Central Asia that shares its southern border with Afghanistan. She is the oldest child in a family of four children, three of which are currently living abroad. When asked how her parents feel about her international career, she mentioned “of course they miss me and would prefer that I were home with them, but they support me in my career and achieving my personal goals.”

Shabnam started her career as an English teacher and has since served in various state and international organizations in Tajikistan, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, and at their main office in Vienna, Austria. Since 2006, she has been employed with the U.N. and currently serves as Human Resources officer for the U.N.’s Mine Action Office in Sudan, the largest UN Mine Action office clearing land mines.

When Shabnam was asked what motivated her to start an international career, she stated that it had been a desire of hers ever since she was a little child, struggling with her family to survive the civil war that Tajikistan experienced from 1992-1997. She was so grateful to the different international organizations, that had stepped in to provide food and shelter to the devastated areas, and decided that when she grew up, she too wanted to help and serve people, to help bring peace to the world. She mentioned that the two biggest contributors were the United Nations and the Aga Khan Foundation.

The first time that Shabnam went abroad was in 1996 when she was selected for her academic excellence to come as an exchange student to the United States. After receiving her degrees in Tajikistan and UK, she returned to her home country, where she started to teach English to young children. She soon became involved with the Mountain Society Development Programme, a project of Aga Khan Foundation. This company focused mainly on the underdeveloped areas, such as her remote mountainous area. Shabnam stated that “it could take two days, by car, to get from one remote area to another.” Their main focus has been improvement of infrastructure, including bridges and roadways, which have helped to interconnect the regions etc.

Following working with the OSCE, she was offered a position with the United Nations in 2006. A few weeks after having received the offer for employment, Shabnam was notified that her first assignment would be in Sudan, a country that been suffering from civil strife and war. She stated that she was a bit skeptical at first about going to Sudan, but she decided that she would go and see what it would be like. “I love Sudan. I love the people. At first I was not sure that I wanted to go to Sudan, but I am very glad that I did.” She was asked several questions about her working conditions in Sudan, and how the people treated her. Her office is located in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, and she said that the city is very peaceful and quiet. She told students that often her mother would call her so worried from news that she had heard about Sudan, and she would have to calm her mother down and explain to her that she is in Khartoum, that the incident she heard about was hundreds of kilometers away, and that she was perfectly safe.

Shabanam’s advice to students was to figure out what they want to do with their lives, and then to fully pursue it. To not give up on their dreams. Shabnam was visiting her sister Nilufar Sherzod in Orem, Utah, who is currently studying at Utah Valley University. Shabnam has helped sponsor her sister’s education, as well as her brother’s in Canada. Her presentation was a part of the monthly-held seminar to promote goals and priorities of “Women of the Mountains” international conference hosted by UVU on March 8-9, 2011 under the gender and sustainable mountain development agenda of the United Nations-related Mountain Partnership. It was co-hosted by the UVU Foreign Affairs, Russian and Sustainable Mountain Development clubs.

By Matt Joseph, Student, Utah Valley University

Women of the Mountains Conference; Monday, First Day

Recently Utah Valley University had the great opportunity to host the 2011 Women of the Mountains Conference. The Conference gained attendance from diplomats, ambassadors, organizations and citizens interested in sustainable mountain development from over twenty nations, among them were, Dr. Alexey Tikhomirov, Chief of Transition Economies Unit, DPEPA/DESA, Dr. Douglas McGuire, Coordinator of the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, UN-FAO, Rome United Nations, Honorable Jeffrey Jones, Undersecretary for Agriculture of Mexico (2006-2009), His Excellency Zoran Jolevski, Ambassador of Macedonia to the United States, His Excellency Gyan Chandra Acharya, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations, Dr. Susan Madsen and Mrs. Karinjo De Vore, Chairperson, Aspen International Mountain Forum, Colorado. The Conference sought to address very specific goals:

1. To continue the coordinated efforts begun at the first Women of the Mountains International Conference (Orem, 2007), as expressed in the Orem Declaration of Mountain Women;

2. To share knowledge about the global status of mountain women, with a strong focus on women in leadership roles around the world working to advance sustainable development in various sectors of activity;

3. To mobilize the Rocky Mountain members of the Mountain Partnership and grass-roots level entities, including high-schools and universities to work together toward specific goals to improve the status of women and increase opportunities for leadership;

4. To provide recommendations for the Mountain Partnership and Mountain Forum members around the world regarding actions to improve the status of women and to increase opportunities for leadership over the next two years with contribution to the agenda of the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.

5. To encourage the next generation to support gender issues and sustainable mountain development (note: high-school and college students throughout state of Utah will participate in all stages of this Conference).

Within the past 6 months there has been a great interest within the Rocky Mountains with respect to the activities of The Mountain Partnership. For this reason Aspen and Basalt Colorado as well as Park City, Salt Lake City and Orem City, Utah have all joined the Mountain Partnership to be a part of the global network of mountain regions and organizations linked together with the common cause to foster mountain growth in all mountainous regions. The 2011 Women of the Mountains Conference was organized with the intention to catalyze these efforts as well as bring organizations together to open the dialogue to development.

Before the opening of the Conference there was a high school essay contest held in which high school students from across the state wrote essays on women’s issues and challenges in mountain regions. The top finalists presented their essays at the Orem Public Library to an audience of visiting diplomats, ambassadors and involved citizens.

The essays were on a variety of topics that ranged from, trafficking of women, education of women and the unequal rights and inferior treatment of women, especially on Native American Indian Reservations. The essays were very elaborate and detailed on problems and solutions. It was very encouraging to witness our next generation of leadership with an already keen understanding of these issues and the ability to diagnose problems and thoughtfully brainstorm plausible solutions.

The winner of the contest, Shelby Jorgensen of Utah County Academy of Sciences addressed the need for education of women in her essay and described many of the tangible and intangible problems that lack of education poses to mountain societies.

At the conclusion of the essay contest many of the ambassadors described the problems and challenges faced by the women and inhabitants of their regions and the successes and triumphs they have achieved. Dr. Douglas McGuire also had the opportunity to address the audience and describe the role of the Mountain Partnership on the international level. He addressed that he is excited to have new members from the Rocky Mountains and felt that they have a lot to offer. Also just as important he addressed that the Rocky Mountains also have w a lot to learn as well. He specifically mentioned the problems among Native American women and that these travesties are occurring in the territory of the Rocky Mountains and need to be reconciled, among others.

The event was finalized with a brief message from Mayor Washburn of Orem. He exclaimed that he was delighted that his city was able to host the conference and applauded the work, study and dedication of the many high school participants of the essay contest.

Salt Lake City Becomes the Newest Member of The Mountain Partnership

It is with great honor that Salt Lake City has become the newest member of the Mountain Partnership, a project launched at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in 2002 and officially partnered with the UN. Since its inception The Mountain Partnership has grown to 50 nations, 16 NGO’s, and 107 major groups, which unite under the banner of progress, prosperity and awareness to tackle the unique challenges that mountain regions of the world face.

Salt Lake City is the first Capitol City in the United States to join the Mountain Partnership. Other cities in the US that have joined are Orem Utah, Basalt and Aspen Colorado.

Utah Valley University, in the city of Orem is also a member of the Mountain Partnership and has been actively engaged in the Mountain Partnership. This has been manifest most recently with its preparations to host the 2011 Women of the Mountains Conference.

The United Nations has already recognized the diligent work that UVU has contributed to mountain regions through the Orem Declaration of Mountain Women, which recognized the important role that women play in the vital growth of mountain regions.

Mountain regions, like that of Salt Lake City’s, contribute significantly to the world economy on many scales. At the same time, life in the mountains is quite challenging in comparison to the living conditions of non-mountain regions around the world. High altitude, remoteness, and lack of developed infrastructure create a difficult environment for mountain communities.

Salt Lake is in an exceptional position to work together, create networks, exchange ideas, and exchange best practices with other mountain communities. It is important that mountain communities maintain relations and open dialogue on successful strategies that can be implemented to profit the community as a whole and foster sustainable mountain growth.

Salt Lake City lies in the heart of the Rocky Mountains and is accustomed to the challenges and obstacles that beset mountain communities. Salt Lake City has successfully traversed through many obstacles and created a broad and vast community in the surrounding region.

Mayor Becker has stated that this is a great opportunity for “Salt Lake City and other communities to with mountain climates to share both knowledge and historical data about development and industry.”

Through the Mountain Partnership Salt Lake City will have the opportunity to further increase its reputation throughout the world as a leader in the development of mountain nations and an excellent example that other mountain regions will be able to emulate.

2011 Women of the Mountains Conference

On March 8-9 Utah Valley University has the pleasure to once again host the Women of the Mountains Conference. Utah has come to be known as one of the leading examples in mountain development.

In the 150 years since Utah has been formally settled, exponential growth has occurred and women have played a vital role in its success. The state of Utah has overcome multiple obstacles on account of its harsh mountain geography. Utah has skillfully navigated these problems and through hard work and collaboration among citizens has been able to master such difficulties.

The Women of the Mountains Conference will engage the distinct challenges faced by mountain communities across the globe, as well as addressing the important role that women play in the development of such regions. One of the main objectives of the conference is to raise awareness and mobilize support from institutions within the U.S. mountain states and global mountain entities, and to assist in the sustainable development of the mountain communities of the world, particularly as it applies to women and children. Unfortunately in many developing mountain nations women and children are hugely misrepresented and their roles are not fully realized.

After successfully hosting the 2007 Women of the Mountains Conference, Utah Valley University earned a reputation as an innovator and leader in sustainable mountain development and women’s roles. The Conference held at Utah Valley University was the first of its kind, and was pivotal in that it addressed the importance of development through the greater roles of women.

At the Conference there were many of the leading figures in sustainable mountain development and women’s roles. They first sought to identify known problems that hinder the success of mountain regions, and then to create practical solutions through dialogue, networking and then implementation of ideas specific to each region.

The 2011 Women of the Mountains Conference seeks to develop direct ties between U.S. mountain states (Utah) and other mountainous countries around the world. The Orem Declaration of Mountain Women, which was produced at the close of the close of the 2007 Conference was recognized at the international level. The United Nations and the World Bank have taken an interest in the activities of Utah.

On the 3^rd of August 2009 the Secretary General of the United Nations addressed the General Assembly on the issue of sustainable mountain development. The Assembly was interested in “status of sustainable mountain development at the national and international levels, including an overall analysis of the challenges that lie ahead, and provides suggestions for consideration by the Assembly as to how to continue to promote and effectively sustain development in mountain regions around the world within the existing policy context.”

The Secretary General then reported that “In response to the Orem Declaration of Mountain Women (the final document of The Women of the Mountains Conference, 2007, organized by Utah Valley University and the Utah-Russia Institute in Orem, Utah, United States of America), several institutions in the Rocky Mountain States of North America established a regional network on sustainable mountain development and gender issues. This led to exchanges of state legislatures/parliaments between Rocky Mountain States and mountain nations in Central Asia; including support of sales by Vista 360, a non-governmental organization based in the United States of hand-made local handicrafts from the mountains of Central Asia in the United States and the funding of cultural exchanges.”

In hosting the 2011 Women of the Mountains Conference, Utah Valley University and the state of Utah are displaying their leadership in achieving true sustainable mountain development on a global scale. Through the Conference Utahans will have a better view of the global mountain community, the obstacles ahead of them, and how practical solutions already implemented in our state will be able to assist in further development abroad.

Please support our State in getting involved with the Conference and help facilitate sustainable mountain development. For further questions or information please feel free to contact us at womenofthemountains@gmail.com.

The Women of the Mountains Conference

Utah Valley University LI 120

March 8-9 2011

Photos Courtesy of

http://ismaili.net/mirrors/pamir_001/page3/taj.htm

http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?page_id=97

Miss Utah, Cristina Lowe on the Future of the State

While serving as Miss Utah for the past six months, I have come to understand the dynamic, resourceful, mountainous region that we live in. I have traveled every inch of the state and spoken to leaders in almost every city. As I returned from Miss America, I found myself quickly back in classes at Utah Valley University while still trying to maintain a schedule of public service. Funny that my first day back I ended up in one of the most intriguing classes about Sustainable Development. My professor, Baktybek Abdrisaev, is the former ambassador from Kyrgyzstan to the US and Canada. He brings a new perspective about our mountainous region that many of us most likely never think about. That perspective includes recognition that Utah has grown and sustained itself extremely well the past 150 years—despite the challenges that mountainous regions face. Why is this perspective so vital to Utah and its’ future growth you may ask?

Utah Valley University hosts an annual conference called The Women of the Mountains. It is a conference that highlights the importance that women play in helping maintain and create sustainable development in mountainous regions around the world. However, there is a broader purpose behind it—The Mountain Partnership. The Mountain Partnership is bringing countries, cities, groups and organizations together to work towards a common goal: to improve the lives of mountain people and protect mountain environments around the world in coming together to contribute ideas with the intention to benefit all members through joint efforts with the United Nations to create a dialogue on progress and new ideas between Mountain Communities.

The city of Orem just signed a resolution that supported their membership in The Mountain Partnership. Did I mention that they are the second city to join in the United States? Furthermore, the students of UVU are pushing for the State Legislature to support the same resolution that would make the whole state of Utah a member in the partnership. By passing this resolution and becoming a member of The Mountain Partnership, Utah would have the opportunity to send representatives to conferences, exchange economic, ecological, and infrastructural ideas with countries all around the world. This would additionally, create jobs for the citizens of Utah abroad, improve our own state’s economic policies and infrastructure all while gaining political clout on a global level.

As Miss Utah, I have traveled the state and I have met the incredible people that live here. I know the potential that Utah has and I understand the importance of this partnership for Utah. As a strong woman, I am also a strong advocate for empowering women. It is important for the women of Utah to see their role in creating these sustainable policies and changes that will inevitably follow a partnership such as this. Join our efforts and help Utah rise to it’s highest potential by contacting us at womenofthemountains@gmail.com, or get more information at

the Mountain Partnership's web site.

By Christina Lowe: Current Miss Utah and Student at Utah Valley University

International Mountain Day 2010

Mountain regions are inhabited by 10% of the world’s population, and over half of the world’s population relies on the resources that these regions have to offer. These regions cover one quarter of the world’s surface. These fragile and ever changing ecological systems provide large quantities of water, forestry, agriculture, rich biological diversity, great areas of recreation, tourism and social and cultural heritage. Mountain regions contribute significantly to the world economy on many scales. At the same time, life in the mountains is quite challenging in comparison to the living conditions of non-mountain regions. High altitude, remoteness, and lack of developed infrastructure create a difficult environment for mountain communities. Because of this, in many parts of the world covered by mountains one can see a breeding ground for poverty, unemployment, terrorism and other undesirable factors.

The UN General Assembly assigned the year 2002 to be the year of the mountains. The intention of the assembly was to raise awareness of the mountain communities of the world and the unique challenges they face. The assembly hoped to highlight not only the ecological and economical importance of the mountain areas but also to educate governments and peoples that preservation of these areas is essential, not only to mountain regions but lowland regions as well. The goal of having the year of the mountains was to focus expertise to mountain communities and effectively foster sustainable mountain development. The year was such a success that the United Nations named the 11 of December of every following year to be International Mountain Day.

This past December 11 was highlighted by a celebration in Utah at Utah Valley University with groups from many regions around the globe and sharing portions of their culture. There were a variety of presentations from faculty members, like Dr. David Wilson, who focuses on Native Americans issues at UVU and Dr. David Connelly, political Science coordinator at History and Political Science Department of UVU.

There was also culture and hoop dancing from Native Americans of the Navajo Tribe.

UVU student, and Miss United Nations Nilofar from Tajikistan organized several items from their fashion show. From different mountain areas of the globe.

There were also many other events that took place and cultures that were represented.

There were also many prevalent members of the community involved including state representative Chris Herrod. The efforts of Dr. Rusty Butler also greatly contributed to the success of the event.

This March UVU plans to host “Women of the Mountains-2” and it will be a new milestone in its pioneering role in developing ties with mountain communities worldwide and strengthening presence of UVU and Utah as a whole on the map of the activities of international community. It is, indeed a very good development and reason for both UVU and all supporters and friends of the agenda of sustainable mountain development to celebrate today’s International Mountain Day.

Studies, High Altitudes Linked to Suicide

There was recently an article published, Studies, High Altitudes Linked to Suicide some of the unique challenges that mountain regions face. The Mountain Partnership has identified that mountain regions face distinct challenges from their lowland counterparts. By joining various organizations and regions the Mountain Partnership has sought to solve problems such as these through "...addressing the challenges of sustainable mountain development by linking and working together: tapping the wealth and diversity of expertise, information, knowledge and skills from and between one another, to stimulate concrete action that will bring meaningful change to the world's mountain people and environments." The Mountain Partnership was created for the specific purpose to create a dialogue between mountain regions to communicate in a rapidly globalizing world and help facilitate growth and progress.