Bern, Switzerland – 27th September 2024 – The King Albert I Memorial Foundation is proud to announce that the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS) has been awarded one of the esteemed Albert Mountain Awards for 2024. This prestigious accolade highlights ARCOS’ exceptional and sustained contributions to mountain conservation and sustainable development across Africa.
ARCOS Network, internationally acknowledged as Africa’s primary mountain hub organization, promotes the integrated management of biodiversity and ecosystem services, facilitates the deployment of mechanisms to assess and address climate change issues, and empowers grassroot organizations to participate more effectively in environmental management and building resilience to climate change.
Founded in 1995, the Albertine Rift Conservation Society is a regional non-governmental organization. Originally, ARCOS focused on the mountainous region of the Albertine Rift and gradually expanded its activities to the African Mountains and Great Lakes. In 2012, ARCOS received the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions in recognition of its achievements in promoting joint conservation and development activities. In 2023, One Tree Planted honored ARCOS as the first and longest-standing landscape restoration partner in Africa. ARCOS plays a leading role in Africa in landscape restoration, with grassroot interventions where over 40,000 hectares are under restoration and 56,000 household farmers engaged today.
As the Secretariat of the Africa Regional Mountain Forum (ARMF), ARCOS has been instrumental in shaping Africa&039;s mountain conservation agenda, securing recognition at the highest levels, including the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN). ARCOS is playing an active role in enhancing community-based adaptation solutions within the East African Mountains areas.
ARCOS Network has forged strong partnerships with key stakeholders over the past decade. Notable collaborators include the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, various African governments, the UN Environment Programme, the East African Community and mountain communities, international partners like the MacArthur Foundation, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Livelihoods Fund, Reforest’Action, civil society organizations and academia.
In collaboration with the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance (CBA), Bezos Earth Fund, AUDA-NEPAD/AFR100 and other partners, ARCOS established the Africa NGO Alliance for Environmental Sustainability (ANAES) involving 35 NGOs of 18 countries today. These partnerships have been crucial in advancing ARCOS' mission.
"This award is a powerful affirmation of our dedication to preserving Africa’s mountainous landscapes and the communities that rely on them,” said Dr. Sam Kanyamibwa, CEO of ARCOS. "Our motto of ‘Collaborative Action for Nature and People’ drives everything we do. We are deeply honored by this recognition and remain steadfast in our mission to drive transformative change across the continent. ARCOS will continue to ensure that nature and people thrive together, with communities living in harmony with nature”.
Prof. Jörg Balsiger, Board Member of the King Albert I Memorial Foundation, lauded ARCOS for its exemplary leadership and impactful work.
"We are pleased to recognize ARCOS with the Albert Mountain Award for its exceptional and sustainable work in promoting the integrated management of biodiversity, addressing climate change, and empowering grassroots organizations throughout Africa. Their dedication embodies the spirit of this award and makes a lasting impact on the mountains of the world.”
The Albert Mountain Award is a globally recognized honor, bestowed upon individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to mountain conservation and development. ARCOS now joins an elite group of recipients who have demonstrated unparalleled excellence in their field. ARCOS will receive the award at the 2024 ceremony on Friday, September 27, at the ALPS Swiss Alpine Museum in Bern, Switzerland.
About The King Albert I Memorial Foundation
The King Albert I Memorial Foundation goes back to Walter Amstutz, former director of the tourist board of St. Moritz and long-time climbing companion of King Albert I. It was established in 1993 as a foundation under Swiss law. The aim of the foundation is to grant the Albert Mountain Award to persons or institutions who have rendered exceptional, sustainable services in connection with the mountains of the world. To date, 56 persons and institutions have been granted the Albert Mountain Award. Among them are, for example, outstanding mountaineers and rock climbers, geographers and geologists, photographers and writers, publishers of alpine literature, doctors specialising in high-altitude medicine, or persons and institutions who have dedicated themselves to the protection of mountains. They have all made an important contribution towards preserving the mountains as a majestic, beautiful and safe place – as a living environment for mountain people, a leisure environment for mountaineers and as a heritage of our world.
About The Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS)
The Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS) was founded in 1995 as a regional conservation organisation with the sole focus on the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable natural resources management within the Albertine Rift region. In the last fifteen years, ARCOS has upscaled its geographical scope to African Mountains and Great Lakes. With experience in community-led land restoration and other initiatives, ARCOS supports a network of over 70,000 farmers and households in landscape restoration and nature-based community solutions.