Mountains for All: Embracing Inclusion in Mountains and Outdoor Activities

Aims of the tool

To raise awareness of inclusion in mountain and outdoor activities and to contribute to making these spaces more accessible, welcoming, and safe for everyone. It seeks to highlight visible and invisible barriers that prevent participation and to challenge the assumption that mountains are naturally inclusive spaces.

Description of the tool

Mountains for All: Embracing Inclusion in Mountains and Outdoor Activities is a reflective and practice-oriented publication developed within the Via Alpina Youth project. It explores inclusion in mountain environments through a combination of conceptual framing, expert perspectives, lived experiences, and practical tools.

The publication brings together contributions from organizations and practitioners across the Alpine region who actively work to promote inclusion through outdoor and mountain-based activities. It addresses questions of access, representation, affordability, disability inclusion, intercultural sensitivity, and social inequality, while also highlighting the transformative potential of outdoor experiences for empowerment, resilience, and personal growth.

In addition to sharing diverse viewpoints, the publication offers concrete recommendations and step-by-step guidance for planning, facilitating, and evaluating inclusive outdoor activities. It emphasizes the importance of preparation, flexibility, reflection, and care—for both participants and facilitators—and positions inclusion as a shared responsibility and continuous learning journey.