The annual “Land of the Snow Leopard Festival” in Kosh-Agach, Altai Republic is dedicated to one of the rarest predators on the planet, the snow leopard. Since its inception in 2009, this Festival has expanded into a popular youth-centered environmental movement with schoolchildren coming from as far away as Mongolia. On May 21st, the festivities began in the regional center with the opening of an international photo exhibition entitled “Living Nature of Altai,” curated by the well-known Barnaul-based photographer Aleksei Ebel.

China’s new pledge to curb greenhouse gas emissions means the world’s biggest carbon polluter must make a more aggressive push to install solar and wind power, according to an industry association.

Drinking water supplies around the world often contain trace amounts of pharmaceuticals and synthetic compounds that may be harmful to human health. One solution being tried in the U.S. and Europe is to construct man-made wetlands that naturally degrade these contaminants.

Here at The Altai Project, we’ve focused our outreach mainly on wildlife conservation, issues advocacy, renewable energy technology, and working with indigenous communities. Yet, one subject we have not talked about is the wealth of ancient heritage found in Altai. You may not know that some of the stories you’ve read in the news have direct links back to Altai!

The Presidency of the World Public Forum “Dialogue of Civilizations” is deeply concerned about the recent deterioration in global affairs and about structural trends that jeopardise both humanity and nature. Of even greater concern is the unprecedented and utterly irresponsible reaction to this development by the global financial oligarchy, which seems to be the only beneficiary of the crisis and the current onslaught.

The experience of visiting Altai can be difficult to describe. However, with the help of 2013 Wild Altai participant, Amy Rhodes (pictured right, photo credit A. Dixon), we can share with you how life-changing this journey can be. We asked Amy a few questions about her experience, and this is what she said.