The 40th anniversary of the SAARC Charter was celebrated in Kathmandu on Monday with a diplomatic reception hosted by Secretary General Md Golam Sarwar.

The event brought together high-ranking officials from Nepal, ambassadors and representatives of SAARC member and observer states, heads of diplomatic missions and international organisations, business leaders, civil society members, and media personnel, the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu said.

Heads of State and foreign ministers of SAARC member countries issued dedicatory messages highlighting the organisation’s role in fostering mutual understanding, cooperation, and regional integration in South Asia. They reaffirmed commitment to the Charter’s ideals and called for coordinated efforts to harness economic potential, promote equitable development, and address shared regional challenges, the statement said.

Addressing the reception, Secretary General Sarwar reflected on SAARC’s journey, noting its progress from institutional strengthening and programme implementation in its first forty years to a focus on global outreach.

He thanked member states, observer states, development partners, and international organisations for their continued support and hoped for sustained collaboration in the future.

SAARC was established on December 8, 1985, at the first summit in Dhaka, Bangladesh, when the seven South Asian countries adopted its Charter. The day is now observed annually as SAARC Charter Day across the region.