 Ladies and gentlemen, friends of the mountains. On this day, the 11th of December 2020, we celebrated the vector role that the mountains play in our lives and for the planet. The theme of this year's International Mountains Day is the mountains of biodiversity matters. Covering almost 27% of the Earth's surface, mountains provide us with food and medicine and regulated climate, water, soil, and air quality. And yet, half the world biodiversity hotspots are in the mountains. Over exploitation, invasive species and pollution are putting mountains, biodiversity, and the pressure. And the COVID-19 pandemic has further compounded these challenges. The loss of the mountain biodiversity is a part of the global emergency, where 1 million animals and plant species are under threat of extinction. And this is affecting the inhabitants of the mountains as well. Half the rural mountain population in developing world is vulnerable to food insecurity. This is unacceptable. FAO hosts the mountains partnership and our layers of government and organizations committed to achieving sustainable mountain development around the world. And FAO is launching 1,000 digital village initiatives that will include the mountain areas in the effort of rural transformation through digital technologies, e-commands, and agro-tourism. International Mount Days is a chance to celebrate the natural, cultural, and spiritual riches of the mountains. It is a day to recall that mountains and mountain habits need more attention, attacking the investment and the tillerate policies and research. Let our actions be guided by the spirit of the 2030 Agenda, of leaving no one behind. Let's make every day mountain day.