Himalayan Dialogue in Jumla from today

By Prem Raj Simkhada,Kalikot, Apr. 22: Preparations have been completed for the upcoming Himalayan Dialogue, an event focused on discussing the impacts of climate change in Nepal’s high-altitude regions. 

The initiative comes in the lead-up to the Sagarmatha Dialogue, scheduled to take place from May 16 to 18, 2025, as per the Cabinet decision of January 20, 2025.

To amplify the voices of marginalised communities in the mountainous regions—particularly children, youth, women, Dalits, and persons with disabilities—the Himalayan Dialogue will be held on April 22 and 23 in Jumla, in coordination with the Sagarmatha Dialogue Secretariat. 

The forum aims to validate live experiences of climate change, highlight local adaptation practices and bring these narratives to the national and global stage.

According to Govinda Bahadur Shahi, Executive Director of the Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Centre (KIRDARC) Nepal, which is hosting the event, the dialogue seeks to elevate the challenges faced in Himalayan regions to local, provincial, federal, and international policy platforms.

Participants will include children and youth from across the Karnali Province, especially those from disadvantaged communities. Director Shahi emphasised that the increasing rate of glacier melt, biodiversity loss, and deteriorating environmental conditions caused by climate change have had a harsh impact, particularly on Himalayan livelihoods, necessitating immediate and coordinated responses.

“The primary objective of the Himalayan Dialogue-2025 is to ensure that the voices of children and mountain communities are heard at the Sagarmatha Dialogue. We also aim to raise awareness, facilitate knowledge exchange on local climate resilience strategies and advocate for long-term policy interventions,” Shahi said.

The event will feature a diverse group of stakeholders, including environmental experts, policymakers, mountain community representatives, journalists, social activists, and delegates from national and international NGOs.

Key supporting partners for the dialogue include various departments of the Government of Nepal, Sagarmatha Dialogue Secretariat, Save the Children, World Vision, and Plan Nepal, among others. Ministers, Members of Parliament, and local government heads are expected to attend the forum.

The event will take place at the Hotel Kanjiruwa in Jumla, where final preparations have been completed, and organisers are now ready to welcome the participants.