Reading Mountains Festival
Celebrating Alpine cultural heritage in the scope of International Mountain Day - 11 December
The Reading Mountains Festival is a way to connect people who love books and mountains, even if they are physically apart. Book lovers and authors, mountaineers and artists throughout the Alps (and beyond) have a chance to discuss similar issues and evaluate 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 to the first editions of the Reading Mountains Festival.
"Reading Mountains" was first launched to celebrate International Mountain Day in 2015. The idea is to initiate events dedicated to mountains and literature in various places around the Alps on International Mountain Day, declared by the United Nations and celebrated on 11 December every year. The Reading Mountains Festival encourages the celebration of cultural differences and similarities in the Alps and, at the same time, connects mountains and culture.
Partners organising various events in the scope of the festival are provided with posters, bookmarks, and stickers that they can use for the promotion of their event(s).
To give you an impression of the potential diversity of the events, we have compiled a (non-exhaustive) list of literature. Do you have any suggestions for additional books? Need further information on the events or have suggestions for the initiative? Then do not hesitate to get in touch!
#ReadingMountains #MountainsMatter
Reading Mountains Festival 2025
No matter what you are looking for – whether relaxation or a thrill, inspiration, new knowledge, or simply a temporary escape to another world – you can always find it in a good book. Books bring to life sensations and emotions, painting a vibrant picture of the places and people they are describing. The Alps have served and continue to serve as a rich source of inspiration for authors, poets, and others who put their thoughts down on paper.
The diverse cultural landscape of the Alpine region envelops identities, traditions, languages and dialects from eight different countries. For the past ten years, the Alpine Convention has celebrated this rich heritage with the Reading Mountains Festival, organised in the scope of International Mountain Day on 11 December.
During the Festival, any and all events linked to mountain topics and to the Alps in particular are welcome. In light of the theme of this year’s International Mountain Day, ‘Glaciers matter for water, food and livelihoods in mountains and beyond’, organisers are invited to focus on this topic to raise awareness of the important role of glaciers in our daily lives.
Whether you have been part of a previous edition or this is your first time, we warmly invite you to host (or attend) an event for this year’s Reading Mountains Festival! A wide variety of formats is welcome, from readings, lectures, and presentations to film screenings, poetry slams, and guided hikes. Be as creative as you like and help us pay tribute to our Alpine culture and the people and topics that move it.
The Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention is available to support the promotion of your event on social media as well as providing you with posters, bookmarks, and other materials. Please register by 30 November using this form to be guaranteed these materials.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for any further information.
Quality of life, Climate Change, Forests, Mountain Agriculture, Natural Hazards, Population and Culture, Spatial Planning, Transport
