Kathmandu, May 15

A workshop ‘Forum on Smart and Green Cities Equipping Youth Social Enterprise to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals’ concluded here today.

More than 300 youths participated in the two-day workshop. As many as 10 mayors and deputy mayors of various municipalities across the country, government officials, international delegates and youth entrepreneurs of various sectors also participated in the workshop. The workshop was organised by Asia-Pacific Peace and Development Service Alliance, which is a loose type of network of the organisations working in the Asia-Pacific area.

The APPDSA was led by the Global Peace Foundation Nepal to organise the workshop, which was supported by 30 other organisations.

On the first day of the conference, resource persons focused on leadership development among youths. Participants of the workshop got an opportunity to learn from the experts of International Business Machine Corporation about using Information Communication Technology in the development sector. Participating youths were also provided information about the latest technologies being used in entrepreneurship, coding and resources for coders.

Participating youth leaders and entrepreneurs discussed the subjects such as no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, and decent work and economic growth.

International Vice-president of GPF David Caprara said such workshops would help empower young leaders and address key challenges of society. He also said that he was very optimistic about Nepal meeting the sustainable development goals by 2030.

Similarly, president of GPF Nepal  Ram Rohan Panta said it was only the youths who could find solution to local problems. “Smart citizens can only develop smart cities,” he added.

GPF basically works to involve youth volunteers in peace building as well as in development activities. It was the fourth workshop organised by GPF in the country so far.