The Small Earth Nepal (SEN) was one of the co-organizers of the “People’s Forum for Sagarmatha Sambaad,” led and organized by Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Centre (KIRDARC). The event was held on 4th May, 2025 at Nepal Administrative Staff College, Lalitpur.
The opening session was chaired by Ms. Samjhana Kumari Malla, Chairperson, KIRDARC Nepal and Mr. Amrit Bahadur Rai, Secretary, Minister for Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Government of Nepal was the chief guest. The opening session featured two informative presentations by Dr. Maheshwor Dhakal (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Forests and Environment and Coordinator, Sagarmatha Sambaad), who highlighted the interconnected themes crucial for the Himalayas and beyond and Ms. Anuradha Chaulagain (Vice-Chair, Karnali Province Child Network), who shared the outcomes of the Himali Sambaad.
The forum had four dynamic panel discussion sessions addressing crucial themes. The panel session I: Melting Snow & Glaciers: Addressing Loss and Damage in Fragile Ecosystems Beyond the Mountains, II: Climate Justice, Voices of the Vulnerable: Community-led Climate Initiatives in the Mountains and Beyond, III: Global Mountain Diplomacy: Connecting People and Policy from Highlands to Islands, Fostering Global and Regional Partnership and IV: People’s Narrative on Just Transitions in Mountain Communities and Ecosystems. Dr. Dhiraj Pradhanaga, President, The Small Earth Nepal (SEN), was one of the distinguished panelists at the first session, highlighted impacts of climate change, focusing particularly on precipitation and glaciers, the importance of small glaciers, and the need for robust research and monitoring them.
The forum provided a platform to spotlight the voices of vulnerable communities who are facing the harshest impacts of the climate crisis. The forum served as an integral part of the Sagarmatha Sambaad, offering a safe space where children, women, indigenous peoples, and other marginalized groups shared their lived experiences of crisis and called for urgent action. The forum concluded with a declaration that will support upcoming Sagarmatha Sambaad.
