This March, the Foundation took part in three major international gatherings. At UNESCO in Paris, the Global Mountain Partnership Meeting in Andorra, and ChangeNOW in Paris. We are reinforcing its commitment to protecting mountain ecosystems and accelerating climate action.
On March 18-19, UNESCO hosted an international event in Paris to mark World Water Day and World Glacier Day, bringing together scientists, policymakers, artists, and organizations to address the urgent challenges facing the cryosphere.
The discussions emphasized that Earth’s frozen regions (glaciers, snow, ice sheets, and permafrost) are warming at an alarming rate, particularly in mountain areas where impacts are already visible and accelerating. A key milestone framing the event was the declaration by the United Nations of the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences (2025–2034), aimed at strengthening research and global collaboration.
Within this context, the Foundation presented the Permapyrenees project, a transnational initiative focused on understanding permafrost in the Pyrenees. This often-overlooked component of the cryosphere plays a crucial role in mountain stability, and its thawing poses risks such as landslides, rockfalls, and ecosystem disruption. The project aims to improve knowledge, monitor changes, and provide data for adaptation strategies.
Beyond science, the event highlighted the importance of storytelling and culture in climate communication. Artistic installations and ceremonies, such as the Global Water Ceremony, helped translate scientific knowledge into emotional engagement, reinforcing a central message: understanding the cryosphere requires science, but responding to its loss requires collective awareness and action.
On March 27-28, the 7th Global Mountain Partnership Meeting, held every four years, gathered over 700 members including governments, NGOs, UN agencies, and research institutions. Coordinated under the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Mountain Partnership serves as a global platform to improve livelihoods in mountain regions and protect their environments.
The meeting focused on defining priorities for the coming years through several panel discussions addressing:
- Science-policy collaboration
- Ecosystem protection and restoration
- Sustainable tourism
- Financing sustainable development in mountain areas
The Kilian Jornet Foundation contributed to the panel on financing sustainable development. While representatives from institutions such as UNDP and UNEP discussed global funding mechanisms, the Foundation provided a critical on-the-ground perspective.
We highlighted the role of foundations as intermediaries between policy and action, translating global strategies into tangible local projects. Working closely with mountain communities allows early identification of challenges and co-creation of solutions. A key message was the need for long-term, flexible funding and stronger partnerships with the private sector to ensure continuity and real impact.
The meeting also served to strengthen connections between organizations, shape advocacy strategies, and define a shared roadmap to elevate the importance of mountains in global agendas such as UN processes and climate negotiations.
On March 31-April 1, we joined ChangeNOW Conference in Paris, a global gathering focused on actionable solutions for environmental and social challenges, the Kilian Jornet Foundation engaged with a diverse community of changemakers: entrepreneurs, investors, athletes, policymakers and foundations.
One of the most engaging moments at ChangeNOW was the Running Minds event along the Seine, an initiative designed to combine physical activity with environmental education. A key part of the session was the storytelling from Swim for Change co-founders and endurance swimmers Matthieu Witvoet and Chloé Leger Witvoet, based on their 380 km swim from Paris to the mouth of the Seine. Through their journey, they shared concrete examples of how the river changes along its course: highlighting ongoing pressures such as pollution and urban runoff, but also visible improvements in water quality and biodiversity as a result of better management and restoration efforts.
While in Paris, we took our ideas for a run.
These were our key learnings from the run:
Around 80% of ocean pollution comes from land‑based sources, reinforcing the importance of everyday behaviors far from coastlines.
Only about 1% of Earth’s water is accessible and usable for human consumption, making conservation essential.
While daily visible water use averages around 150 liters per person, the true footprint (including food, clothing, and goods) can reach 4,000 to 8,000 liters per day.
That same day, we launched our new chapter.
Paris marked the public debut of our Ambassadors Program.
In parallel, we introduced our new Ambassador Program during a session on sports leadership for societal change. Inspired by Kilian Jornet’s journey, this program aims to empower athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to lead environmental initiatives within their communities. By supporting a new generation of ambassadors, the initiative seeks to amplify local action and build a broader movement for environmental stewardship.
