Kathmandu, March 9

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari is leaving for New York tomorrow, leading a delegation to the High-Level Event on Women in Power being hosted by the President of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces.

Bhandari will address the event on March 12 on the theme of ‘How Women Leaders Change the World’. In the evening of March 11, Bhandari will attend a welcome dinner to be hosted by Garces in honour of women heads of state/government.

On the sidelines of the high-level event, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Garces will call on Bhandari at the UN Secretariat. Bhandari will also hold bilateral meetings with the President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid and the President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. On the same day, former prime minister of Ireland Mary Robinson will call on Bhandari, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Bhandari will visit the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the UN in New York on March 13. Ambassador of Nepal to the US Arjun Kumar Karki and Permanent Representative of Nepal to the UN Amrit Bahadur Rai will jointly host a reception in Bhandari’s honour.

The president’s delegation comprises Minister of Women, Children and Senior Citizens Tham Maya Thapa; Chairperson of the Parliamentary Women and Social Committee Niru Devi Pal; expert at the Office of the President Laxmi Kumari Karki; Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi; Secretary at the Office of the President Binod KC; Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Yam Kumari Khatiwada; and other senior officials from the Office of the President, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens of the Government of Nepal.

President Bhandari will return home on March 14.