Mountain peoples and mountain organizations have many common characteristics including isolation from one another and from much of the rest of society. This article documents the experiences of a new confederation of networks which supports equitable and ecologically sustainable mountain development through participatory learning and communication.
The questions addressed include:
- How can an information structure be created that not only connects isolated constituencies, but also provides a forum for different viewpoints from different situations and forms a platform for marginalized groups?
- What factors facilitate or constrain network-building in mountain regions, and why?
- What are the effects of mountain networking on organizational relationships, policy development and social capital? In the context of these questions, this article introduces the Mountain Forum and summarizes its early evolution to the present time.
