Sagarmatha Sambaad: Full text of PM's Inaugural Address during Opening Session

Kathmandu, May 16: The following is the full text of the Inaugural Address by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at the Opening Session of Sagarmatha Sambaad that kicked off in the federal capital here today.  

Inaugural Address by Rt. Hon’ble Mr. K P Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal, at   the Opening Session of the Sagarmatha Sambaad

Kathmandu, 16 May 2025

Honourable Ministers,

Esteemed Guests,

Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning and Namaste!

It is both a deep honour and a heartfelt privilege to welcome you to the inaugural edition of the Sagarmatha Sambaad.

This is Nepal’s global dialogue initiative—

A platform for thoughtful reflection,

For principled engagement,

And for addressing the most urgent challenges of our time.

Today, the line between local and global has all but vanished.

What happens in one corner of the world echoes across the rest.

The fire that rage in one land darkens the skies of others

The melting of distant glaciers shifts the rains, floods the fields, and parches the plains far away.

The decisions of a few can shape the destiny of many.

It is within this deeply interconnected reality that the Sagarmatha Sambaad was born—

A space for honest dialogue.

For shared wisdom.

For collective action.

We have named it after Sagarmatha—the highest point on Earth.

And we hope this Sambaad—our dialogue— will rise just as high.

High in moral clarity.

Bold in intellectual courage.

Steady in our shared vision for a better world.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, the world stands before towering, metaphorical mountains.

Challenges loom—vast and urgent.

The recovery from the pandemic is still fragile.

The climate crisis is speeding up.

In many corners of the world, peace feels more distant than ever.

Trust in global institutions is weakening.

Inequalities—within countries and across borders—are growing deeper.

Multilateralism, once a guiding light, now sways under heavy storms.

And yet—

Amidst this uncertainty, we hold on to a simple, powerful belief:

The power of dialogue.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Nepal is not just a piece of geography.

It is a sacred land—where wisdom breathes through every stone and stream.

Here, the spirit of awakening was born.

This is the land of Lord Buddha.

From this soil, a light emerged—guiding humanity toward peace, compassion, and harmony.

It is a soil where sages meditated.

Where seekers found truth.

Where rishis offered the world a wealth of knowledge that still uplifts the human soul.

Nepal has always been a place of seekers.

Not of conquerors, but of contemplators.

Not of battles, but of dialogue.

Our tradition is rooted in listening—with respect.

In speaking—with sincerity.

And in seeking truth—together.

Sagarmatha Sambaad is born from that very spirit.

It is a gentle revival of our ancient ways.

A space where wisdom bows to humility.

Where many voices come together—with reverence.

Where we look for answers—not with ego, but with empathy.

We are reminded of an ancient truth:

"वादेवादेजायतेतत्वबोधः"

—Through dialogue, truth shines.

Even in moments of deep division, it is not silence or shouting that helps us.

It is honest conversation.

It is listening.

It is speaking from the heart.

Sagarmatha Sambaad is our humble attempt to carry this sacred legacy forward.

Our first theme speaks to our soul:

"Climate Change, Mountains, and the Future of Humanity."

As a Himalayan nation, this is not a distant issue.

It is our daily reality.

But it is not just ours.

It is the world’s.

Can humanity survive without its mountains?

Can we protect the future without protecting these ancient guardians?

Mountains may seem far away.

But their breath keeps half the world alive.

From the Arctic to the Andes, from the Alps to the Himalayas—

They are the Earth’s water towers.

They are our climate’s pulse.

And they are in danger.

Their fragility is our shared vulnerability.

From the lap of Sagarmatha, the world’s highest peak,

We send this message—loud and clear:

• To protect the mountains is to protect the planet.

• To protect the mountains is to protect our seas. (RSS)