Kathmandu, October 29

Around three dozen youths from seven countries including Nepal have gathered in the country to share their experiences and make plans for disaster management in the five-day long workshop.

The seventh Youth Looking Beyond Disaster workshop began in Kathmandu from October 27 and will end on October 31.

Youths from seven countries, namely USA, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, Philippines and Nepal are participating in the workshop and sharing their experiences on disaster management and peace building. The workshop is jointly organised by Youths UNESCO Nepal and Darryl Macer, vice chancellor of American University of Sovereign Nations.

Bibek Adhikari, general secretary, Youths UNESCO Nepal, said empowered young professionals, experts in Disaster Prevention and Recovery, youth, policy makers and people from around the world are also going to develop realistic action plans to rebuild communities that meet the needs and aspirations of young people.

He stated that they have already visited the areas worst-hit by the earthquake in the Kathmandu Valley.

Since 2011, Eubios Ethics Institute, a non-profit group of international personalities, in cooperation with youth, partner institutions, including American University of Sovereign Nations, UNESCO and others have already organised six Youth Looking Behind Disaster Training Workshops across the world.

“Any individual who is interested in disaster management can participate in the workshop, but this time around we have selected youths who have actively participated in the rescue and relief efforts carried out after the earthquakes in April and May,” said Adhikari.

Faculty and facilitators for the workshop include former UNESCO regional adviser for Asia and the Pacific Prof Macer, former health minister Khagraj Adhikari, former industry minister Mahesh Basnet, Dinesh Singh Malla from UNICEF Nepal, and member secretary of Nepal Health Research Council Dr Khem Bahadur Karki, among others.