| HIMALAYA: Personal Stories of Grandeur, Challenge, & Hope |
| Date: |
12/07/2006 |
Available Tickets: |
253 |
| Ticket Price: |
$12.00 |
| Location: |
Foss Auditorium, American Mountaineering Center, 10th & Washington, downtown Golden |
| For
more info contact: |
CMC office
cmcoffice@cmc.org
303-279-3080 x 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sponsoring Group: |
|
|
Stunning, thought-provoking images from more than fifty renowned photographers grace the pages of this medium-large format book, complementing 40 essays that illustrate life-long and life-changing experiences in the Himalaya. President Jimmy Carter, Sir Edmund Hillary, the Dalai Lama, Maurice Herzog, George Schaller, Senator Dianne Feinstein and others write soulfully, as do local miracle workers in education, health care delivery and environmental conservation, about projects that are being supported by the American Himalayan Foundation.
Presentation and reception
The CMC is hosting an evening that will feature a concise, illustrated presentation by contributors to Himalaya, including co-editor Broughton Coburn, who has worked in conservation and development for two decades in the Himalaya; Jake Norton, mountaineer and photographer; Dr. Roger Bilham, renowned CU seismologist and Himalayan earthquake expert, Luigi Fieni, Italian restoration expert who is preserving 5 century-old monuments in the remote area of Mustang, and other special guests. The presentation will be followed by a reception and book signing.
Population growth, poverty, inadequate education, lack of basic medical care, political strife, erosion of traditions and loss of biodiversity and cultural treasures are conspiring to drag the region into the world’s sadly divisive political fray. But despite these grounds for alarm, there are also reasons for hope. This book illustrates the grandeur, it examines the predilections, and it offers up solutions.
Images from more than 50 photographers traverse the colorful spectrum of mountain cultures and landscapes of Nepal, India, Pakistan, Tibet and Bhutan, while also seeming to traverse time -- from inside views of ancient traditions to startling glimpses of a fragile future.
On equal footing, 40 original, personal narratives by noted contributors draw us along on the book’s thematic progression: It begins with an unusual and breathtaking exposition of the range’s grandeur and diversity, swells into an exploration of the region’s social and environmental challenges, and culminates in a portrayal of the efforts and dedicated individuals heroically engaged in alleviating the region’s Himalaya-sized problems.
Climbers continue to flock to the Himalaya, and a library’s worth of books have been written from their points of view. Typically, these titles express themes of divide and conquer, of man’s triumph over nature, and of surmounting inner and outer obstacles. The first two sections of Himalaya share this sense of adventure and achievement as a starting point for a broader quest: to visually and poetically answer the question, “And then what?” Indeed, what comes after every peak has been climbed and conquered and celebrated? What remains once every ridge and valley has been explored and mapped? What are the home-grown challenges facing the millions who are struggling to eke out a living and survive on the hem of the Himals -- and what is being done to address these challenges?
The people of this 2,000 mile-long range have much to teach us. And we have much to offer, in turn. The latter third of the book enlarges on a key emotional theme: giving back to the Himalaya. The tasks are daunting, but a few committed souls -- with only modest support and confronted by demoralizing obstacles -- are turning hope and ancient traditions into survival, success and renewed faith. The personal accounts and images in the final section, especially, celebrate these success stories in delivering education, responsible development and improved health care, and in providing protection for the region’s rich natural and cultural heritage.
For information about the American Himalayan Foundation please visit www.himalayan-foundation.org.
|
|
|
|
|