Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai said on Sunday that invitations have been sent to more than 350 individuals from the countries around the world as they expect 150 to 175 delegates to participate in the Sagarmatha Sambad.

Addressing the first ever press meet of Nepal’s maiden climate dialogue scheduled to be held on May 16 to 18, Rai said that some heads of state and governments are also expected to attend the event.

Through diplomatic channels, the government has already dispatched the invitations to dozens of heads of states, governments, ministers, diplomats, officials, experts on climate change, and representatives from the donor community, among others.

The theme of the first edition of the Sagarmatha Sambad is “Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity,” which will see heads of state and governments, representatives from several multilateral and donor communities, experts and others joining the discourse. For sending invitations, the Nepali embassies abroad and the embassies of relevant countries in Nepal have been mobilised, said Rai.

“We estimate around 350 participants, including both Nepali and foreign nationals. We believe between 150 and 175 people will attend,” said Rai at the press conference.

Heads of state and government from South Asian countries, the UN secretary general, and heads of government from mountain and oceanic countries are among the invitees, according to officials.

The three-day forum will feature as many as 15 sessions where 90 experts will attend as speakers. Heads of state and governments will speak in the opening session, while other speakers, panelists and moderators will lead various thematic sessions, according to the organisers.

Ministers from foreign countries will address as keynote speakers and experts and policy makers will serve as panelists, moderators and paper presenters. As per the officials, 60 experts, 50 policymakers and influential speakers, and another 50 high-level delegates have been invited.

Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal said that in order to take the lead on the issue of mountain countries that face the climate crisis, Nepal’s Sagarmatha Sambad aims to address the issue of the Himalayas. He also said that Nepal is raising concerns about the damage caused by climate change and is voicing these issues at various international forums. He emphasised that the government is working to make the Sagarmatha Sambad impactful.

“Regarding loss and damage, as well as our rights, we have been raising climate issues at international forums because we bear the brunt of the environmental destruction,” said Aryal.

Chief Secretary Aryal also said that topics other than climate change will be discussed in the years to come.

“We will also focus on policies and programmes to push the issue forward. Since we are the worst hit, it is important for us to take this agenda forward,” he added.

Inspired by global platforms like the World Economic Forum of Davos, the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, and the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, the Sagarmatha Sambad was first announced by the KP Sharma Oli government in 2019. The plan was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic which hit Nepal in 2020.

On the first day, the discussions will focus on immediate actions required for glacial conservation. There will also be discussions on connecting the concerns of islands to those in higher altitudes. Topics such as food security, agricultural revitalisation, and community-driven activities in hilly areas will also be covered. On the second day, discussions will focus on climate-related disasters, risk reduction, and recovery. The efforts and achievements of monitoring Himalayan risks and mitigating damages in the region will be discussed.

On the third day of the event, guests will be taken on aerial observation tours of the Sagarmatha region, as per the information divulged on Sunday. The core objective of Sagarmatha Sambad is to build shared understanding among national and international stakeholders for immediate climate action. Another objective is seeking inclusive solutions where nations can advocate for climate justice by providing vulnerable nations and communities with fair and inclusive solutions.

Also, the Sambad will seek foreign help to accelerate climate finance, scale up innovative technologies and boost capacity for adjusting to the changing climate. It will also seek to form a global coalition for action in preserving mountains and securing a sustainable future for humanity.

As per the concept note approved by the Cabinet, the event’s aim is to

develop a common understanding of the impact of climate change on mountain countries, advocate climate justice for those bearing the brunt of carbon emissions, and develop bilateral and multilateral partnerships for climate finance and technological advancements. It will also take an initiative for the inclusion of mountainous countries in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change dialogue process.