The UNESCO Kathmandu Office has officially announced the winners of its open poster competition, ‘Climate Change and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Nepal’s Mountains.’ The initiative, which targeted youth creators aged 18–40, sought to illuminate how climate change is reshaping the unique, living traditions of Nepal’s high-altitude communities.
The top five finalists were formally awarded on 2 June, during the final dissemination workshop of the project “Assessment of Living Heritage of Indigenous Community in Thame, Nepal, Affected by GLOF,” which was implemented with critical backing from the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund (HEF) held in Nagarkot. The workshop brought together cultural experts, climate researchers, and government stakeholders to review ongoing efforts in safeguarding mountain heritage.
The artwork is an intricate geometric illustration visualizing a holistic, interdependent model of climate resilience, following Theme B: Resilience. As someone from Nepal, the climate crisis in the Himalayas is deeply personal since I witness its impacts firsthand.
The composition rises in tiers. At the base, sustainable tourism and labor unfold: guides, yaks, post-earthquake stone path repairs, climbers removing mountain trash, and Thiti cultural practices. The middle tier presents agricultural resilience of seed-saving bundles, millet and buckwheat fields, alongside sustainable living: stone-and-mud houses with solar panels, improved cookstoves, rainwater collection, and spring protection. Above, livestock and energy systems emerge through yak-dung biogas and stored wood sheds.
The upper tier features a central mandala flanked by Laligurans and wildlife of the Himalayan Blue Sheep and Snow Leopard. At the apex, Tengboche Monastery and a retreating snowline anchor the work in a belief system rooted in deep environmental reverence.
This painting “Quite Collapse” shows the fragile condition of life in the Khumbu region under the climate crisis. The Yeti, from Sherpa oral narratives, represents the Sherpa community and shared identity. It hangs from a fragile ladder, symbolizing instability, fragility and vulnerability, while holding prayer beads as a sign of hope. Brown water suggests glacial floods. High-altitude plants show imbalance and diaspora. A hanging yak bell reflects the decline of Yak. Together, the painting shows slow but powerful changes, where the climate crisis reshapes the environment, culture, and identity.
Climate change threatens Himalayan communities by destroying landscapes and displacing families, eroding centuries of history. Yet, culture persists through its people. Despite profound shifts like melting snow, dry land, and scattered mani stones, hope remains in the younger generation.
As depicted in my artwork of an old woman and children, culture thrives through the youth. Even after devastating floods, seeing children imitate traditional rituals, dances, and songs in their play, which highlights a resilient generational transfer. These children teach us to find joy in a difficult world, proving that while physical structures may be swept away, our heritage endures. Adapting with wisdom and compassion, we entrust our future to the children, ensuring our culture flourishes amidst change.
read more: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-poster/illustration-competition-winners?hub=701
