Whenever legendary figures are scrambling out of book pages, folk songs are springing to life, you are savouring your grandmother’s favourite recipes, travel reports are enticing you to go on a walking tour, forests get to dance, rocks are trembling in the face of a mystery story, classical or contemporary literature get communicated -  then, the mountains are reading! On International Mountain Day - 11 December - the cultural diversity of the Alps is celebrated!

The Reading Mountains Festival is an opportunity for partners around the Alps to organize events to celebrate Alpine literature, languages and cultures under a joint umbrella. On International Mountain Day, (11 December) and the days leading to it partners (stakeholders, schools, libraries, interested individuals, restaurants and other interested organisations) are invited to organize their/your own event highlighting Alpine literature. There are different ways to do so: by organizing a reading by a local author, having a presentation of a book set in the region or in any other innovative way. It is all about being part of a project promoting the values of the Alpine Convention: protection of the Alps, its sustainable development and its diversity. Hence, every event emphasizes the economic, environmental, social and cultural dimensions of life in the Alps. 

The Reading Mountains Festival goes beyond each of the events itself – it is also a way to connect people despite their being physically apart. In the last edition book lovers and authors, mountaineers and artists throughout the Alps (and beyond) discussed similar issues and assessed the meaning, impact and purpose of Alpine literature. Some of these discussions are captured in the film “People, Books and Mountains - The Quest for Alpine literature” that was produced as a follow up.

Organisations interested in the 2017 edition are invited to register here and receive promotional materials (posters, bookmarks andstickers) from the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention.