The Institute for Mountain Studies of Afghanistan is a non-profit organization that promotes research in mountain and other activities with a view to supporting pathways towards sustainable mountain development and societies inhabited there. The Institute aims to provide a hub to coordinate and support interdisciplinary research and learning related to the scientific, cultural and economic facets of mountain landscapes and the people who live in them. We aim to encourage deep and abiding interests in the mountains, the people who live in and near them, and the connections between the two. We strive to serve as a home for exploration, mountain sports, a refuge for reflection and thought, and a forum for community conversation."