The news

On Saturday 20 March, world protest day against the war in Iraq, two English climbers manifested their no against the war by climbing Big Ben

The Fédération Française de la Montagne et de l'Escalade awarded the climbers Benoist-Glairon-Rappaz and Bérhault-Magnin for their outstandiing ascents in 2003

Valeri Babanov and Yuri Koshelenko won the prestigous Piolet d'Or for their ascent of Nuptse East South Pillar in November 2003.

The Nova Levante-Welschnofen local council has approved the transformation of 10000 mq of "alpine meadows and woods" to “tourist and camping area." for the develpment of a camping ground above Lake Carezza in teh Dolomites.

International campaigners for Tibet have voiced their growing concern about a planned ring road around Mount Kailash, Tibet's most sacred mountain.

The Other Final Takes Grand Prize at Banff Mountain Film Festival. Escape from Lucania: An Epic Story of Survival wins Book Festival, while Fritz Mueller’s Autumn Sunset in the Heart of Tombstone wins Mountain Photography Competition

On 17/09/2003 a ravaging fire destroyed one of Italy's premier climbing wall manufacturers Ecogrips, the climbing shop Vertical Sport, and the climbing wall Action House in Trento, northern Italy

A recent agreement between China and India could signal the start of improving relations between the two countries.

The fourth Mountaineering - Grignetta d’Oro Awards Ceremony gets underway in Lecco, Italy this weekend. The two-day meeting marks the start of the highly anticipated, week-long mountaineering festival, which includes the World Cup Difficulty, Speed and Bouldering competitions.

n Wednesday 11 June the week-long Mountaineering Festival, due to take place in Lecco from 21-29 June, will be officially presented in Milan.

The closing date for the 8th Banff Mountain Photography Competition, the prestigious Canadian photographic competition, is 30 May 2003

Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden have won the Piolet d'Or 2002 with their first ascent of the North Face central couloir of Siguniang, China

The classic Ciaspolada snowshoe race celebrates its 30 anniversary and changes course

From 8 — 12 January 2002 the French Parc National des Ecrins will host the Fournel Ice Climbing Event for 800 ice climbers. The nominees for the Piolet D'Or 2002 will be presented, as will the winning films of the Banff Mountain Film Festival.

The Second Step wins the Banff Mountain Film Festival 2002. The Banff Mountain Book Festival Grand Prize was awarded to The Evidence of Things Not Seen, while the Photography Competition was won by James Delano

On 9/01/2003 Simone Moro will be awarded the "Pierre de Cubertin International Fair Play Trophy" for his 2001 rescue efforts of the 19 year-old British mountaineer Tom Moores