KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is set to inaugurate the inaugural Sagarmatha Sambaad at 9:30 am on Friday at the Hotel Soaltee in Kathmandu.
The high-level dialogue, organized by the Government of Nepal, centers on pressing environmental concerns with the theme “Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity.”
According to the Prime Minister’s Private Secretariat, media passes for live coverage of the event will be distributed as per the procedures outlined by the Sagarmatha Sambaad Publicity and Media Committee. The inauguration will be broadcast live on Nepal Television.
The dialogue, which begins today and will continue until May 18, brings together around 175 international guests and a similar number of Nepali participants.
High-level delegations from 12 countries, including India and China, are attending the event. Several dignitaries have already arrived in Nepal, while others continue to arrive ahead of the formal proceedings.
Foreign Minister and Coordinator of the Sambad Management Committee, Dr. Arju Rana Deuba, stated that the Sagarmatha Sambaad will explore solutions and opportunities related to climate change and the vulnerabilities of mountain regions through a series of in-depth discussions.
A special audio-visual presentation introducing the dialogue will be screened during the opening ceremony.
The event will also feature addresses from leading delegates of India and China, the President of COP29, and the President of Azerbaijan. In addition, a message from UN Secretary-General António Guterres will be shared via audio-visual medium.
Following the inaugural session, a plenary session will take place, featuring presentations from participating countries, as well as representatives of international and regional organizations.
Parallel thematic sessions on a wide range of topics related to climate and mountain ecosystems will begin later today and continue through Saturday afternoon, with all sessions scheduled to wrap up by 4:30 pm.
The Sagarmatha Sambaad aims to become a platform for dialogue between political leaders, policymakers, academics, and climate experts to explore actionable responses to the dual crisis of global warming and mountain degradation, with a focus on shared accountability and regional cooperation.
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