A/RES/62/196 28. Notes with appreciation, in this context, that the Convention on the Protection of the Alps 7 promotes constructive new approaches to integrated, sustainable development of the Alps, including through its thematic protocols on spatial planning, mountain farming, conservation of nature and landscape, mountain forests, tourism, soil protection, energy and transport, as well as its Declaration on Population and Culture; 6F 29. Also notes with appreciation the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians, 8 adopted and signed by the seven countries of the region to provide a framework for cooperation and multisectoral policy coordination, a platform for joint strategies for sustainable development and a forum for dialogue between all involved stakeholders; 7F 30. Further notes with appreciation the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, which promotes transboundary cooperation among eight regional member countries of the Himalaya Hindu Kush region to foster action and change for overcoming mountain peoples’ economic, social and physical vulnerability; 31. Notes with appreciation the contribution of the Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Mountain Regions project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the statement of the Adelboden Group in promoting specific policies, appropriate institutions and processes for mountain regions, and the positive, unaccounted economic benefits they provide; 32. Stresses the importance of building capacity, strengthening institutions and promoting educational programmes in order to foster sustainable mountain development at all levels and to enhance awareness of challenges to and best practices in sustainable development in mountain regions and in the nature of relationships between highland and lowland areas; 33. Encourages the development and implementation of global, regional and national communication programmes to build on the awareness and momentum for change created by the International Year of Mountains in 2002 and the opportunity provided annually by International Mountain Day on 11 December; 34. Also encourages Member States to collect and produce information and to establish databases devoted to mountains so as to capitalize on knowledge to support interdisciplinary research, programmes and projects and to improve decision-making and planning; 35. Further encourages all relevant entities of the United Nations system, within their respective mandates, to further enhance their constructive efforts to strengthen inter-agency collaboration to achieve more effective implementation of the relevant chapters of Agenda 21,1 including chapter 13, and paragraph 42 and other relevant paragraphs of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation,2 taking into account the efforts of the Inter-Agency Group on Mountains and the need for the further involvement of the United Nations system, in particular the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations University, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization _______________ 7 8 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1917, No. 32724. Available from www.carpathianconvention.org/text.htm. 5