BRECKENRIDGE — Mountain to Mountain, the Breckenridge-based organization dedicated to promoting education and community development in remote mountain communities, will host a “Views of the Himalaya” event, featuring world-class photography and a speaker panel of distinguished mountaineers.

The event is Thursday at 7 p.m. at The Speakeasy Movie Theatre in Breck. “Views of the Himalaya” will highlight the rich color and diversity of mountain regions around the world, offering a greater window of awareness into the cultural, geographical and political landscape of the Himalayan region.

All photography has been donated by the participating photographers, enabling Mountain to Mountain to donate 100 percent of photography sales to the dZi Foundation’s Revitalize a Village project in Gudel, Nepal, one of the poorest areas of the world.

Revitalize a Village is supporting sustainable community development through educational initiatives focused on building schools, training teachers and providing safe drinking water for the 5,000 villagers. Translated poetry and art from local Gudel porters will also be on display.

“I am drawn to the Himalaya because the beauty of the mountains and the mystery of the culture is so different from my Southern upbringing,” said panelist Kitty Calhoun, a world class alpinist, and first woman to climb Makalu’s West Pillar.

“I imagine that Americans have a stereotypical view of the Nepalese, as portrayed by the Sherpas on Everest, which is deceptive at times,” Calhoun said.

“I have spent many months of my life in Nepal and have interacted with the Nepalese on a personal level though my own expeditions and when I was guiding. My experiences in Nepal were some of the most rewarding times of my life.”

In addition to Calhoun, “Views of the Himalaya” speakers include Jake Norton, professional mountain guide and photographer with five Everest and two Cho Oyu expeditions, and Kim Reynolds, co-founder of dZi Foundation, Chicks with Picks and Mind over Mountains.

The panel will be moderated by Ben Ayers, the dZi Foundation’s Nepalese project coordinator and founder of Porters for Progress.

Featured photographers include Phil Borges, Kevin Bubriski, Jimmy Chin, Sallie Dean Shatz, Tony Di Zinno, Ace Kavale, Galen Rowell, Beth Wald, Nevada Wier and Bob Winsett. These award-winning artists are socially conscious innovators who are connected to the people and culture in the environment in which they travel, play and work.

“I, like many people, was first lured to the Himalayas by the spectacular and legendary mountains, but returned again and again because of the people and the ancient cultures that still survive in numerous high valleys below the soaring peaks. Many of the varied peoples of the Himalayas live a rich spiritual life surrounded by the most beautiful landscapes in the world.

Many of them also live in extreme poverty,” said Beth Wald, a Boulder-based photographer, who will be exhibiting her work at the event. “I have supported the dZi Foundation over the years because the people involved know the Himalayas intimately and have a deep seeded love of and respect for the people.”

“Ever since I was just a wee kid, I have been fascinated with this exotic part of the world,” said Tony Di Zinno, a Los Angeles-based photographer and professor at the Art Center College of Design. “The more one travels, the more one realizes how interdependent we all are, even when separated by languages, oceans and time zones.”

“Views of the Himalaya” will debut in Breckenridge and then travel to Los Angeles, Calif. and Telluride in the spring.

“The common thread of storytelling and a desire to help our global neighbors thrive in their communities have brought together an incredible group of artists and alpinists to promote Mountain to Mountain’s vision that education is the way forward,” said Shannon Galpin, founder of Mountain to Mountain. “With the ‘Views’ series, we aim to illuminate the images and voices of the Himalaya, furthering the understanding and interconnectedness of our global community.”

Tickets for the event are limited. Prices are $20 in advance or $30 at the door as space permits. Contact Galpin at (970) 376-0754 to reserve tickets.