“Youths should be taken as partners and collaborators rather than just spectators or participants. As knowledge bearers, they should be given opportunities to be vocal about their innovative ideas on global platforms” shared Ms. Susa Manandhar, Program Assistant at The Small Earth Nepal (SEN), during the panel discussion “From Science to Solutions: Scaling Regional Action” at the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (IYGP) 2025 Dushanbe High-Level Conference Side Event on 29 May 2025. Her powerful message highlighted the pivotal role of youth in bridging the gap between the worlds of science, community and the policy makers.
The IYGP Task Force 2 Side Event “Science Diplomacy for Glacier Preservation and Transboundary Water resilience in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) was co-organized by International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Clean Air Fund (CAF), UNESCO Chair in Mountain Water Sustainability and The Small Earth Nepal (SEN). The event focused on leveraging science diplomacy, regional partnerships, and integrated adaptation strategies to call for urgent and unified efforts aimed at protecting glaciers and building resilience across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.
