National
President sets off on a busy weeklong tour of Switzerland and Germany today
Paudel will attend the inaugural forum of the Global Coalition for Social Justice and address the 112th session of the ILO.Post Report
President Ramchandra Paudel, who is all set to embark on a first official visit to two European nations on Tuesday, will have a busy schedule in Switzerland and Germany.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Paudel will leave for the Swiss city of Geneva on Tuesday to attend the inaugural forum of the Global Coalition for Social Justice, slated to coincide with the high-level segment of the 112th session of the International Labour Organization.
Paudel is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with the President of the Swiss Confederation, Viola Amherd, on Wednesday, and address the forum on Thursday.
The President and his delegation will leave Kathmandu on Tuesday evening for Qatar. A special ceremony will be held at the VIP lounge of the Tribhuvan International Airport before their flight to Doha.
The President and his delegation will reach Doha on Tuesday evening, where they will be welcomed by the Nepali ambassador in Qatar, Naresh Bikram Dhakal, and other officials. After a layover of a couple of hours at Doha airport, the President and his delegation will leave for Geneva and will reach there by Wednesday morning.
On Wednesday afternoon, the President and Nepali delegation will head for the Federal Palace in the Swiss capital Bern for a meeting with President Amherd.
On Thursday, the President will participate in the high-level segment of the 112th International Labour Conference, where Paudel will deliver a keynote speech. On the same day, he will attend other functions organised by the Nepali Embassy in Switzerland and the International Labour Organization.
Friday will be dedicated to sightseeing and personal leisure time. Then, on Saturday, the President and the Nepali delegation will leave for Berlin, Germany and are expected to reach there on Saturday evening, according to the itinerary seen by the Post.
The President is making the official visit to Germany at the invitation of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On Sunday, according to the itinerary, President Paudel will visit GFZ German Research for Geosciences, Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) in Potsdam. After presentations at the two institutions, the President will tour the Telegrafenberg Campus, Einstein Tower Potsdam, and Grober Refraktor and will visit Cecilienhof and Sanssouci Palace Museum and Garden.
Sunday evening will see Paudel interacting with the Nepali community living in Germany as well as representatives of Non-resident Nepali Association and Nepali Diaspora.
Monday’s schedule includes sightseeing and visits to the Berlin Wall, Berlin Dome, and Brandenburg Gate. In the afternoon, he will leave for Schloss Bellevue, the German President's office.
In the evening the two Presidents will hold a bilateral meeting, while their spouses, Sabita Paudel, the first lady of Nepal, and Elke Budenbender, the first lady of Germany, will hold a parallel meeting at the President's office, according to the itinerary.
On Monday, President Paudel will visit the Office of the Germany Trade and Invest (GATI), where Paudel and the managing director of GATI will address the event. Later that evening, the President will meet members of the Nepali Diaspora
The President will leave Berlin for Kathmandu via Qatar next Tuesday and arrive home on Wednesday morning.