KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 26
Indigenous-led Research and Education in Nepal: An international Conference and Workshop kick-started in Kathmandu today. The conference will conclude tomorrow.
The programme has been organised by the US State Department in Collaboration with Centre for Indigenous Peoples Research and Development, The US Embassy in Nepal and Kathmandu University, School Of Education.
The workshop has a presence from various sectors and countries. Professors, researchers, indigenous people, scientists and other stakeholders across the world are participating.
At the global level, Indigenous Peoples' knowledge and rights have come to the fore in recent years as sources of solutions for addressing climate change, biodiversity, and sustainable resource development.
However, in many places, this global attention has not fostered strategies for implementation of Indigenous Knowledge and rights by governments, funders, and organisations at the regional and national levels.
Considering Indigenous peoples are 6.2 per cent of the world's population, yet contribute to safeguarding more than 50 per cent of the global biodiversity (IPBES, 2019), enhancing the practices supporting Indigenous knowledge and rights is critical for climate resilience and conservation (IPCC, 2022).
Similarly, there are 60 indigenous groups in Nepal with dis-tinct language, cultural values, and traditions. Indigenous people in Nepal share a symbiotic relationship with their surrounding landscape and contribute significantly to the sustainable management of natural resources, ecosystems, and biodiversity.
Dr Kyle Whyte, US Science Envoy said that they're a diverse indigenous community in Nepal.
"I have heard so much inspiring information about indigenous community's contributions for the climate conservations and actions," he said.
"There is so much diversity in Nepal of culture, community, knowledge and visions.
They have inspired me a lot in my short time here."
Similarly, US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R Thompson said that the US Science Envoy programme is an initiative of the US Department of State's Office of Science and Technology Cooperation, and the US Science Envoy programme selects eminent scientists and engineers to serve as citizen ambassadors and empowers them to advance and promote international scientific collaboration to solve global challenges.
He introduced Dr Whyte and said,"Dr Whyte also serves on the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council.
He's a renowned professor atthe University of Michigan. So he brings a wealth of great personal and professional experience to the discussions that you all have over the course of this week."
Acknowledging Nepali Indigenous groups, Ambassador Thompson said, "We know Nepal is an incredible mosaic of indigenous communities, cultures, and languages. The diversity of indigenous communities in Nepal reflects the diversity of Nepal's geography and ecology. Throughout the centuries, the indigenous communities of Nepal have been living in harmony with nature."
He further said, "They are the reservoirs of vast knowledge, cultural values, and sustainable practices. The Sherpas in the Himalayas have vast treasure troves of knowledge and cultural practices that have enabled them to withstand the harsh and arid climate of the Himalayas."
Similarly, in the Middle Hills, many indigenous peoples ranging from Magar, Gurung, Rai, and Limbu have demonstrated their extensive knowledge of nature through terrace farming and other agricultural practices.
The Tarai and Tharu communities still practise a range of sustainable practices that remain very valuable to us in the present day, according to Ambassador Thompson.
"The indigenous communities have used their extensive knowledge to coexist with nature through many generations.
Now, the effects of climate change have become increasingly apparent. Our planet faces unprecedented challenges," he added.
