KATHMANDU: An international virtual dialogue on the climate crisis in the cryosphere and the role of mountain youth in responding to escalating Himalayan disasters will be held on Friday, September 25, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81).
The virtual event will begin at 9:00 am Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), corresponding to 6:45 pm Nepal Standard Time (NPT).
Titled “Climate Crisis in the Cryosphere: Mountain Youth Championing Environmental Resilience Against Escalating Himalayan Disasters,” the programme will also serve as an international preparatory engagement for the inaugural Kathmandu Climate Action Week (KCAW) 2026.
According to the organisers, the dialogue aims to connect efforts to strengthen the resilience of mountain communities with international discussions on youth-led technical and policy initiatives. Climate advocates, researchers, disaster specialists and media professionals will share perspectives on the challenges facing the region and possible responses.
The cryosphere refers to Earth’s frozen water, including glaciers, snow and permafrost. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)’s HI-WISE Assessment Report 2023 has documented accelerating glacier loss in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) and warned of increasing risks from hazards including glacial lake outburst floods.
Against this backdrop, the dialogue will focus on threats facing mountain communities from glacial lake outburst floods, flash floods and landslides.
Mountain youth working group to be launched
The programme will formally announce and launch the Mountain Communities and Ecosystems Youth Working Group.
According to the organisers, the group will be the first official youth working group under the Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY) dedicated specifically to mountain issues.
The group is intended to provide a formal channel within MGCY to bring the concerns of mountain communities, ecosystem conservation and mountain youth into United Nations policy processes. It will also seek to connect local experiences and youth participation with international policy advocacy.
South Asian and international organisations involved
The event is jointly organised and hosted by the Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY), SAARC Youth Platform (SYP), International Youth Forum (IYF), Institute of Himalayan Risk Reduction (IHRR), Ideas International and Bagmati UNESCO Club, Nepal.
Other co-organisers include the Youth for Environment Education and Development Foundation (YFEED Foundation), Youth Action for Sustainable and Eco Nepal (YASEN), SERAC-Bangladesh, Pakistan’s Youth Advocacy Network (YAN), Active Help Organization and India’s Green Future Foundation.
Shilapatra, Khabarhub and Pakistan’s The Dayspring are the official media partners.
Ten speakers to discuss climate finance and regional cooperation
Kiyumma Rai Butang will moderate the programme.
Speakers include Er. Suraj Gautam, Executive Director and Disaster Risk Specialist at IHRR, Nepal; Yugratna Srivastava, Organising Partner of MGCY; and Fsahat Ul Hassan, Convenor of the SAARC Youth Platform.
Also participating are Danish Tariq, International Coordination Coordinator at YAN, Pakistan; Rahul K C, President of the International Youth Forum; and Er. Nischal Baniya, Founder of Bagmati UNESCO Club, Nepal.
The speaker line-up also includes SM Shaikat, Executive Director of SERAC-Bangladesh; Sonika Poudel, Member of the Board of Directors of YFEED Foundation; Birat Anupam, Senior Journalist at Shilapatra; and Srijana Shrestha, Representative of Khabarhub.
Discussions will cover disaster risk reduction in the Himalayan region, mountain communities’ access to climate finance, cross-border cooperation, and the role of youth and media in policy advocacy.
According to the organisers, the discussions will draw on community experiences, technical expertise and participation in policymaking.
The organisers plan to present the conclusions of the dialogue to relevant forthcoming UN General Assembly processes and incorporate them into the main roadmap for KCAW 2026.
They said the initiative is expected to strengthen meaningful youth participation at local, national and international levels in efforts to protect Himalayan and cryosphere ecosystems.
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