Ev-K2-CNR

26/10/2026

21/10/2026

🏔️ From Glacier Research to Water Security: EvK2 at NDMA Headquarters in Islamabad 🇵🇰🇮🇹

On 21–22 October 2026, EvK2 is participating in Glacio-Hydrological Monitoring for Adaptive Water Banking, an important scientific and institutional initiative organised by National Disaster Management Authority Pakistan(NDMA) in collaboration with FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance and EvK2.

Hosted at NDMA Headquarters in Islamabad, the two-day event brings together government authorities, universities, research institutions and international experts to strengthen scientific knowledge and technical capacities in glacier monitoring, water resource management and climate-related disaster risk reduction.

🔬 Four EvK2 researchers and collaborators are contributing their expertise:

🔹 **Davide Fugazza** (University of Milan) – Glacier dynamics, Pakistan’s national glacier inventory and future water availability.

🔹 **Daniele Bocchiola** (Politecnico di Milano) – High-altitude hydrology, water balance and climate change impacts.

🔹 **Maria Teresa Melis** (University of Cagliari) – Satellite remote sensing, GIS and geospatial technologies for mountain monitoring and risk assessment.

🔹 **Giorgia Gotti** (EvK2) – Ongoing activities and future programmes for scientific cooperation, environmental protection and climate resilience in Pakistan.

💧 With 13,032 glaciers, Pakistan’s mountain regions represent a vital freshwater reserve. Understanding how these glaciers are changing is essential for protecting communities, improving water management and strengthening climate adaptation strategies.

EvK2’s involvement as a partner in this NDMA-led initiative highlights the importance of more than 30 years of scientific cooperation between Italy and Pakistan.

🤝 Together, we are working to turn scientific knowledge into practical solutions for safer, more resilient mountain communities.

19/10/2026

14/10/2026

🇵🇰🇮🇹 Celebrating Scientific Cooperation and Excellence: Agostino Da Polenza Honoured in Rome**

On 12 October 2026, Agostino Da Polenza, President of EvK2, was honoured with the prestigious FRIENDSHIP AWARD in recognition of his more than 30 years of commitment to scientific research, environmental protection and international cooperation in the Karakoram mountains.

The official ceremony, hosted in Rome by H.E. Ali Javed, Ambassador of Pakistan Embassy Italy, took place in the presence of Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan with the rank of Federal Minister.

The event also recognised other individuals who have made significant contributions to Pakistan, including Professor Adriano Rossi, President of ISMEO, for the work of the Italian Archaeological Mission; Marco Marchetti, for his contribution to agricultural cooperation and the development of Pakistan's olive sector; and Father Robert McCulloch, for his longstanding commitment to healthcare, education and social welfare.

🎓 The ceremony also celebrated outstanding Pakistani students living and studying in Italy, honoured through the High Achievers Awards 2026 for their achievements in academics, research, innovation, sports, arts and community service.

🏔️ For EvK2, this recognition celebrates a longstanding partnership built on scientific knowledge, mutual trust and a shared commitment to the sustainable development of mountain communities.

**Honouring decades of collaboration while celebrating the next generation: a shared commitment to science, education and a sustainable future.**


EvK2CNR Pakistan

09/10/2026

For decades, the Pyramid Laboratory-Observatory at Lobuche has served as a base for high-altitude science in the Everest region. This season, an international team is using it to study how the human body adapts to low oxygen.

Led by Professor Vittore Verratti of the University of Chieti-Pescara, the Pyramid26 expedition is measuring physiological changes from the ascent through the team's stay at 5,050 metres, covering breathing, circulation, sleep and brain activity, among other systems.

The full story has more on what the researchers are testing, including a question about probiotics and acclimatisation.

Read the full report via the link in the comment.

07/10/2026

🐾 From animal health to human health: a approach in .

The scientific training activities of Water for Development ( ) continue at the University Of Baltistan Skardu, with a new programme dedicated to veterinary science, animal health and One Health.

Led by Filippo Maria Dini, from the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences of the University of Bologna, and Carmela Musto, veterinarian and PhD in Veterinary Public Health, the training combines lectures, laboratory methods and practical field activities.

Students will explore diseases and surveillance, zoonoses, emerging diseases and , while also learning laboratory methods for faecal and blood sample analysis.

The programme will then move into the field, where students will take part in animal sampling and practical veterinary activities with local livestock. Researchers will also work with local farmers, collecting information on animal diseases and zoonoses through dedicated questionnaires.

The data gathered from farmers, field sampling and laboratory analyses could provide University of Baltistan students with the basis for future research projects on animal and public health in the region.

🏔️ In mountain regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan, people, livestock, wildlife and ecosystems are closely connected. Strengthening local expertise through a One Health perspective means building scientific knowledge that can directly respond to the challenges of the territory.

The activity is carried out within Water for Development – W4D, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS Islamabad) and implemented by EvK2 and UNDP Pakistan.


EvK2CNR Pakistan

07/10/2026

What happens to the human body at 5,050 metres, where oxygen availability is dramatically reduced?

At the EvK2 International Pyramid Laboratory-Observatory in Nepal, is turning high altitude into a unique natural laboratory for human physiology.

Led by Professor Vittore Verratti of the “Gabriele d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, the multidisciplinary research team is studying how the human body responds and adapts to progressive exposure to hypobaric hypoxia.

And the investigation goes far beyond oxygen saturation.

🫁 Respiratory mechanics during ascent and prolonged exercise
🧠 Cerebral blood flow and autoregulation
❤️ Cardiovascular responses to hypoxia
🩸 Haematological, inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers
📡 Continuous daytime and nocturnal cardiorespiratory monitoring
🌙 Sleep, EEG activity and dreaming
👁️ Ocular and retinal responses to hypoxic stress
🥗 Nutrition, body composition, glucose dynamics and appetite-regulating hormones
🧬 And the effects of multi-strain probiotic supplementation on physiological acclimatisation and SpO₂

Measurements are being collected throughout the expedition, from the progressive ascent and acclimatisation to the stay at the Pyramid at 5,050 metres, creating a longitudinal picture of how multiple systems of the human body respond to decreasing oxygen availability.

One expedition. Multiple research protocols. One extraordinary high-altitude laboratory.

This is : exploration meets physiology at 5,050 metres.

Vittore Verratti Guia Maria Tagliapietra Università degli Studi "Gabriele d'Annunzio" Kaji Bista

05/10/2026

🏔️ Sustainable tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan: from Valley to National Park

The mission of Michele Locatelli in Gilgit-Baltistan continues, with activities focused on promoting a model of tourism that respects the environment, local communities and mountain culture.

In Thalay Valley, work is progressing on the new community-based guest house developed within the Water for Development ( ) project. During his latest visit, Michele also met with a carpenter in Khaplu, who will craft the wooden elements for the structure — another step towards creating a facility rooted in local skills, materials and traditions.

The mission then moved to Shirkilla, one of the villages of Chilim in the Astore Valley and an entry point to Deosai National Park.

Here, Michele worked on the small visitor museum, which was in need of reorganisation. Using the materials already available, he carried out an initial rearrangement of the exhibition space, while also taking measurements and assessing the existing displays in preparation for a new museum layout.

The redesign of the museum is part of the W4D activities aimed at supporting sustainable and environmentally responsible tourism, improving the way visitors discover and understand the extraordinary natural heritage of this region.

From the community guest house in Thalay to the gateway to Deosai National Park, the goal is the same: to create tourism opportunities that generate value for local communities while helping to protect the fragile mountain environment.

The activities are carried out within the framework of the Water for Development (W4D) project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS Islamabad) and implemented by EvK2CNR and UNDP PakistanPakistan.

📸 The images from Michele’s mission take us through Thalay, Khaplu and the spectacular landscapes of Deosai National Park.

30/09/2026

🏔️ Sustainable tourism as an opportunity for local communities in the mountains of

As part of the Water for Development ( ) project, Michele Locatelli recently carried out a mission in the , working alongside local communities on the development of a Model Guest House designed to promote a more sustainable and community-based approach to tourism.

The initiative aims to create new opportunities for the valley while enhancing local resources, knowledge and traditions. More than simply providing accommodation, the Model Guest House is conceived as a replicable example of tourism that can generate benefits for local families while respecting the environmental and cultural identity of the area.

The activities are part of the broader Water for Development (W4D) project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS Islamabad) and implemented by UNDP Pakistan and EvK2.

📍 Thalay Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

🔗 Read more about the mission and the activities underway in the Thalay Valley on our website. https://l1nq.com/boh5vq5