Kantipur Conclave 2026, which will bring together leading national and global voices onto a single platform, begins in the Capital on Monday.

The two-day flagship event of the Kantipur Media Group will see the participation of intellectuals, policymakers, Gen Z representatives, and civil society to debate the country’s core challenges and explore shared solutions. It will also provide an international context to the latest events in Nepal.

The conclave will feature distinguished thinkers, political leaders, entrepreneurs, journalists and youth advocates from Nepal and abroad, with 52 speakers from 12 countries.

Following the inaugural session, Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi will deliver the keynote address. Ebadi, known globally for her work on human rights, democracy, and civil liberties, is a highlight of the conclave.

The first session, titled “From Protests to Possibilities,” will feature speakers from Tunisia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh sharing their experiences of transitional politics after popular uprisings.

In a session titled “Gen Z Revolt: The Story of a Shoe,” Prakash Bohara will recount the personal and political story connected to his blood-stained shoe from New Baneshwor—a symbol widely associated with the movement. Political analyst CK Lal will then present “Revisiting Nepal’s Revolution,” offering a broad perspective on movements, achievements and limitations from 1951 to the present.

Another panel, “What’s Funny about Politics? In Nepal, Almost Everything”, will bring together comedians Adarsha Mishra, Sita Neupane, Sundar Khanal and Prabhat Lama to discuss the relationship between politics and satire. Another session, “The End of Ideology?” will feature a dialogue between political analyst Hari Sharma and politician Ghanshyam Bhusal on political structures, leadership and reform prospects.

The final session of Day I, “Rebuilding Economy, Restoring Confidence,” has Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Bishwo Nath Poudel, FNCCI President Chandra Dhakal, CG Corp Global Managing Director Nirvana Chaudhary, Ncell CEO Michael Foley and Daraz Nepal Managing Director Aanchal Kunwar.

Day 2 opens with “Public Dialogue in the Age of Algorithms,” examining the intersection of digital platforms and public discourse. Panellists include AI scientist Dovan Rai, Barakhari editor-in-chief Prateek Pradhan, Pathao Nepal Managing Director Asimman Singh Basnyat and political figure Nisha Adhikari.

A “People’s Panel” will feature medical entrepreneur and activist Durga Prasai, political commentator Rishi Dhamala, Khushbu Oli and journalist Santosh Deuja, focusing on how non-traditional voices have entered mainstream debate.

The session “Nepal in Multipolar Crosshairs ” will bring experts from China, India and the United States to discuss Nepal’s geopolitical situation. Panellists include Gao Liang of Sichuan University’s Nepal Centre, Indian researcher Sneha Kumcha, Pacific Forum regional director Robert York and CNAS executive director Mrigendra Karki.

In “New Voices of Republic,” Gen Z activists Raksya Bam, Majid Ansari, Pradeep Gyawali and youth candidate Ajay Kushwaha will debate youth leadership, legitimacy and nation-building, as the session is moderated by Kantipur journalist Daya Dudaraj. This will be followed by a session featuring all seven provincial chief ministers who will debate “Federalism: Structure or Delivery Mechanism?”

The concluding session, “Policy, Leaders and Leadership,” will feature youth leaders from major political streams discussing leadership transition and political culture. The panellists are Nepali Congress General Secretary Pradeep Paudel, UML Deputy General Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai and former minister Sumana Shrestha.