24 September 2010 - School children and local community leaders were among the participants in a day-long walk in Afghanistan’s Central Highlands held today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to mark the International Day of Peace in 2010.

The alpine ranges of central Afghanistan have been the backdrop for “Trekking for Peace”, an environmental awareness campaign held over 100 days in the build-up to Peace Day.

The campaign, organized by UNEP in conjunction with the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), was designed to raise awareness of the significance of the Central Highlands’ unique environment.

The message of peace and reconciliation was prominent at today’s trek and during a variety of arts, cultural and outdoor activities, including a Ceremony for Peace, staged in the countdown to Peace Day by UNAMA, UNEP and the Provincial Peace Committee of Bamyan.

“This is a crucial year in which we can together try to help the Afghans to find their own peace,” the UN special envoy to Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura, said.

“So 21 September cannot be a celebration day but a day of thinking and re-motivating ourselves in order to help the Afghans to find peace after so many years of violence and of difficulties,” Mr de Mistura said.

Held annually on 21 September, the theme for Peace Day in 2010 was “Youth, peace and development”.

Today the Trekking for Peace campaign finale began with speeches from the Governor of Bamyan Province, Habiba Sorabi, Robert Watkins, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Resident Coordinator of the UN Country Team, and representatives of the national Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), the Department of Youth and UNEP as well as local community leaders.

Kite-flying on the mountains by local children ended the opening ceremony before the group set off on their 5-kilometre alpine trek.

UNEP’s work in Bamyan Province brings these themes together in a practical way by fostering awareness and action by young people to maintain a healthy local environment through dialogue and mutual understanding at the community level, UNEP’s Afghanistan-based Protected Areas expert, Andrew Scanlon, said.

“We’re working to help communities come together to manage their natural resources, and after decades of conflict in the country this helps to build trust in the wider community,” Mr Scanlon said.

“Working in partnership to manage natural resources can be a great tool for building peace within and between communities and has been a key message of our Peace Day campaign. The feedback from the trek participants was overwhelmingly positive,” he added.

The Central Highlands area includes Band-e-Amir, one of Afghanistan’s most remarkable natural landscapes and the country’s first national park, as well as the Ajar Valley Wildlife Reserve.

Environmental education, including raising awareness of the connection between natural resources and livelihoods, is a pillar of UNEP’s country programme in Afghanistan where peace remains fragile.