The Ulsan Ulju Mountain Culture Award is awarded to those who have made exceptional contributions to the progress of mountain culture, such as nature, environment, climbing films and literature.
To commemorate the hosting of Korea¡¯s only mountain film festival, the Ulju Mountain Film Festival (UMFF), Reinhold Messner was invited in 2016 to share his life and philosophy through a lecture and exhibitions. His lecture drew over 300 Korean mountaineers who came to hear about his mountaineering experiences.
Messner¡¯s lecture became a catalyst for highlighting various aspects of mountain culture. One key outcome was the establishment of the Ulsan Ulju Mountain Culture Award by UMFF, which is presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to mountain culture.
Messner is a living legend in the world of mountaineering. He was the first person in history to summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, and the first to conquer all 14 eight-thousanders. Since 1974, he has authored some 80 books, and since 2003, he has operated both Messner Mountain Museum (MMM) and the Messner Foundation for Himalayan Residents.
The Committee for Ulsan Ulju Mountain Culture Award (UMCA) is pleased to announce that the winner of UMCA 2025 is Reinhold Messner (81) from South Tyrol of Italy. Widely considered to be the greatest mountaineer of all time, Messner made a long list of groundbreaking ascents, notably the first ascent of Everest without supplemental oxygen, along with Peter Habeler, the first solo ascent of the mountain again without the oxygen use, and the first successful ascents of all 14 eight-thousanders. Messner also first crossed Antarctica and Greenland without snowmobiles or dog sleds, and crossed the Gobi Desert alone.
Messner¡¯s neverending passions for mountain and exploration did not end there, but led him to explore several other domains of human creativity as well. He has published over 80 books on climbing and exploration. His books have been translated into numerous languages, not to mention Korean, sharing his unique experiences and deep reflections with the general public around the world. Moreover, he endeavored into the art of filmmaking, producing fine films about climbing and exploration. He founded the Messner Mountain Museum (MMM), which consists of six locations.
Despite his old age, Messner is still working hard to preserve traditional mountaineering and disseminate its values to the world, especially through the Reinhold Messner Horizonte, founded by himself and his wife Diane Messner, travelling to give talks, feature films, and hold public discussions about the attitude towards the mountains. Their newest project is located in the 3 Zinnen Dolomites region, the ¡°Reinhold Messner Haus¡± opening at the end of June 2025.
In short, incomparable is his contribution to the world of mountaineering and mountain culture by revealing the unique perspective of mountaineers to the outside world and expanding the horizons of mountain culture to a new level. On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Ulsan Ulju Mountain Film Festival (UMFF), by awarding Messner the UMCA of this year the Committee wishes to celebrate the spirits of mountain and mountain cultures as well as to express congratulations to his great achievements.