The Small Earth Nepal (SEN) hosted an important meeting with Dr. Bhanu Neupane, Process Coordinator at UNESCO, on 6 January 2026 at the SEN Office. The meeting focused on SEN’s future strategic direction, strengthening international engagement, and exploring collaboration opportunities with UNESCO and other global partners.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Dhiraj Pradhananga, Founding President of SEN and UNESCO Chairholder in Mountain Water Sustainability, and Dr. Madan Lall Shrestha, Advisor to SEN and Scientific Planning Group (SPG) Member of the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN).
Dr. Neupane, who brings over 25 years of experience with UNESCO and serves with the World Water Assessment Programme. He shared insights drawn from his extensive engagement in the United Nations World Water Development Report (UN WWDR), capacity building initiatives, and inter-agency coordination. Reflecting on his previous collaboration with SEN under the Landslide Environmental Virtual Observatory (LEVO) project, Dr. Neupane highlighted SEN’s strong institutional foundation and international presence, and youth-centric potential to expand its impact beyond Nepal.
Drawing on UNESCO’s experience, the exchange highlighted the value of institutional credibility, coordinated partnerships, and evidence-based engagement. The discussions noted the value of strengthening SEN’s international presence, particularly through expanded programs in policy advocacy, outreach, environmental monitoring, new technology, as well as data and knowledge management. Opportunities for collaboration with UNESCO and other international agencies, especially in the thematic areas of water security, gender equality, and inclusive development, were explored in detail as a pathway for scaling SEN’s impact beyond Nepal.
The meeting also reflected SEN’s organizational culture, underscoring the critical role of young researchers and practitioners in shaping its future. Participants discussed the importance of balancing institutional growth with sustained capacity development, as well as the need to revitalize SEN’s International Advisory Board to support its global engagement.
The meeting concluded with key strategic directions to advance SEN’s international collaboration, strengthen its research and policy advocacy portfolio, and initiate thematic work on water, gender equality, and youth-led activism across the region. SEN looks forward to translating these discussions into concrete, actionable initiatives in the coming period.
