KATHMANDU: Amnesty International Nepal (AI Nepal) has launched the 17th edition of its National Youth Mela in Bharatpur, Chitwan.
Running from May 9 to 11, the three-day event brings together over 100 young people from across the country, representing diverse youth networks, groups, and individual members affiliated with AI Nepal.
This year’s Youth Mela is centered around the theme “Digital Inclusion: Ensuring Voice, Accessibility, and Privacy.” Through interactive sessions and workshops, participants will deepen their understanding of human rights and gain practical tools to campaign on urgent issues such as digital rights, transitional justice, and LGBTQI+ rights, AI Nepal said in a press statement.
The event opened with a reflective session celebrating 16 years of the Youth Mela and the contributions of its youth networks. A panel discussion on the opportunities and challenges of digital spaces featured disability rights activist Ashmita Devkota, feminist lawyer and researcher Dikshya Khadgi, and journalist Lokendra BK.
Other prominent speakers and resource persons include activist Praneta from the Brihat Nagarik Andolan, Swastika Mali, a member of a family affected by enforced disappearance during the armed conflict, Rukshana Kapali, an LGBTQI rights activist, and Santosh Sigdel, Executive Director of Digital Rights Nepal.
The Mela will conclude on May 11 with an international solidarity action calling for an end to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, reaffirming Amnesty’s global commitment to human rights and justice.
Since its inception in 2006, the Youth Mela has served as a platform to educate, empower, and mobilize young activists. Over the past 16 years, more than 1,600 youth from across Nepal have participated in this flagship program.
AI Nepal is part of Amnesty International’s global movement of over ten million members and supporters, and has been active in Nepal since 1969. With over 6,000 members nationwide, AI Nepal advocates for the rights of migrant workers, women, Dalits, and other marginalized communities, while also campaigning for truth, justice, and reparation both within Nepal and internationally.
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