While serving as Miss Utah for the past six months, I have come to understand the dynamic, resourceful, mountainous region that we live in. I have traveled every inch of the state and spoken to leaders in almost every city. As I returned from Miss America, I found myself quickly back in classes at Utah Valley University while still trying to maintain a schedule of public service. Funny that my first day back I ended up in one of the most intriguing classes about Sustainable Development. My professor, Baktybek Abdrisaev, is the former ambassador from Kyrgyzstan to the US and Canada. He brings a new perspective about our mountainous region that many of us most likely never think about. That perspective includes recognition that Utah has grown and sustained itself extremely well the past 150 years—despite the challenges that mountainous regions face. Why is this perspective so vital to Utah and its’ future growth you may ask?
Utah Valley University hosts an annual conference called The Women of the Mountains. It is a conference that highlights the importance that women play in helping maintain and create sustainable development in mountainous regions around the world. However, there is a broader purpose behind it—The Mountain Partnership. The Mountain Partnership is bringing countries, cities, groups and organizations together to work towards a common goal: to improve the lives of mountain people and protect mountain environments around the world in coming together to contribute ideas with the intention to benefit all members through joint efforts with the United Nations to create a dialogue on progress and new ideas between Mountain Communities.
The city of Orem just signed a resolution that supported their membership in The Mountain Partnership. Did I mention that they are the second city to join in the United States? Furthermore, the students of UVU are pushing for the State Legislature to support the same resolution that would make the whole state of Utah a member in the partnership. By passing this resolution and becoming a member of The Mountain Partnership, Utah would have the opportunity to send representatives to conferences, exchange economic, ecological, and infrastructural ideas with countries all around the world. This would additionally, create jobs for the citizens of Utah abroad, improve our own state’s economic policies and infrastructure all while gaining political clout on a global level.
As Miss Utah, I have traveled the state and I have met the incredible people that live here. I know the potential that Utah has and I understand the importance of this partnership for Utah. As a strong woman, I am also a strong advocate for empowering women. It is important for the women of Utah to see their role in creating these sustainable policies and changes that will inevitably follow a partnership such as this. Join our efforts and help Utah rise to it’s highest potential by contacting us at womenofthemountains@gmail.com, or get more information at
By Christina Lowe: Current Miss Utah and Student at Utah Valley University
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