SCO media summit to reinforce mutual trust, Nepal voices for climate justice

By Nanda Lal Tiwari, Zhengzhou (China), July 25: The Media and Think Tank Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) today adopted a consensus to promote mutual understanding for cooperation and shared future.

“SCO media and think tanks should intensify efforts to promote awareness and understanding of each country's national realities, development paths, and strategic priorities,” read the consensus paper released today following the plenary session which was addressed by over a dozen dignitaries including deputy speaker of House of Representatives, Indira Rana.

By fostering enhanced communication, bridging differences, building consensus, and reinforcing mutual trust, we can help uphold respect for each other's development models and safeguard one another's core interests, read the Zhengzhou Consensus of the SCO Media and Think Tank Summit.

In her speech, Deputy Speaker Rana voiced for international support in Nepal’s voice for climate justice arguing that the Himalayan country has no role in triggering climate crisis but has been a subject to adverse impacts of the global warming.

She emphasised on the need for greater cooperation among countries under the SCO framework as the challenges the countries are facing today like climate change, inequality and regional tension cannot be addressed by a country alone.

Mutual trust, mutual benefits, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity and pursuit of common development make up Shanghai Spirit,” she said, lauding SCO as a beacon of cooperation, friendship and regional intergration.

“As a dialogue partner, Nepal has been actively involved in the SCO through different mechanism of cooperation, she said.

In the session inaugurated by Wang Kai, Henan province governor, Mo Gaoyi, deputy director of CPC central publicity department, said that media and think tank can guide public opinion on issues that are of public interest.

He said that shared values of SCO such as political trust and peaceful cooperation can inspire countries to take right direction in the present times of unprecedented changes.

He emphasised on green energy, sustainable energy, people to people exchange, exchange of civilizational values, cooperation on digital transformation.

Fu Hua, president of Xinhua News Agency, viewed for close links among media for spreading Shanghai Spirit while Peng Jinhui, vice president of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), emphasised on opposing hegemony and power politics for building a just and equitable world order.

Andrey Kondrashov, director general of TASS Russian News Agency, also pointed out the need for media cooperation among the SCO member, observer and dialogue partner countries to fight back what he said ‘information terrorism’.

Addressing a parallel session on importance of exchanges and mutual enhancement of civilizations on Thursday, former Ambassador of Nepal to China, Leela Mani Paudyal, argued for ensuring Nepal’s full membership in SCO.

“Nepal is a cradle of ancient civilization and is a melting pot of Ganges, Indus Valley, Yarlung Zangbo (Bramaputra) and Yangtze civilizations with Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali civilizations. Traditional Hindu Sanatana, Buddhism, Islam and many others faiths have coexisted in Nepal harmoniously for thousands of years. Endowed with rich natural, cultural and demographic resources, Nepal, aspiring to be full member of SCO, can add value to the cultural diversity, natural beauty and shared economic opportunity of SCO family,” said Paudyal.   

Participated by over 400 media and think tank representatives including Bishnu Prasad Subedi, Executive Chairman of the Gorkhapatra Corporation and Dharmendra Jha, executive Chairman of the RSS, the Summit is being held from July 23-27 in Zhengzhou city of Henan province, China.