Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
UNESCO's Kathmandu Office has announced the winners of the open poster competition, ‘Climate Change and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Nepal’s Mountains.’ Targeting youth creators aged 18 to 40, the contest sought to depict how climate change is affecting the living cultural traditions of Nepal’s high-altitude communities.
Awards were presented on 2 June during the final dissemination workshop for the project “Assessment of Living Heritage of Indigenous Community in Thame, Nepal, Affected by GLOF.” Supported by the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund, the event brought together cultural experts, climate researchers, and government officials to discuss safeguarding mountain heritage.
The first-place winner, Nijal Munarkarmi, created an intricate geometric illustration representing a holistic model of climate resilience. His artwork includes tiers depicting sustainable tourism, agricultural resilience, sustainable living, livestock and energy systems, and religious symbols associated with environmental reverence.
The second-place entry, “Quite Collapse” by Dorje Tsering Sherpa, illustrates the fragile condition of life in the Khumbu region. Using Sherpa oral narrative symbolism, including the Yeti, it expresses community vulnerability and instability amid the climate crisis.