A high-level event dedicated to the International Markhor Day was held at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City under the theme “Markhor and Mountain Biodiversity: Strengthening Global Efforts for Ecosystem Conservation and Sustainable Development.”
According to the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Tajikistan to the United Nations, as reported to NIAT “Khovar,” the event was organized at the initiative of the delegations of Tajikistan and Pakistan in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, Bahodur Sheralizoda, emphasized Tajikistan’s successful example of nature conservation, stating that the markhor (Capra falconeri) is not only one of the rarest mountain animals of Central and South Asia but also a symbol of Tajikistan’s natural heritage.
The Chairman of the Committee for Environmental Protection also stated that the declaration of May 24 as the International Markhor Day by the United Nations General Assembly has created “a global platform for raising awareness, strengthening cooperation among stakeholders, and drawing political attention to the conservation of vulnerable mountain ecosystems.”
At the conclusion of the event, several areas for strengthening cooperation were proposed, including the expansion of scientific monitoring, implementation of community-based conservation models, enhancement of regional cooperation, and increased investment in environmental education among youth. In addition, the country expressed its readiness to consider hosting a global event dedicated to the markhor in the city of Dushanbe in 2027.
