Kathmandu, February 19

Laureates of the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’) from China, Japan, and India are traveling to Kathmandu next week to share their expertise and support laureate Shrikrishna Upadhyay, SAPPROS-Nepal, and all of their partners for ‘Make Nepal Green’ initiative.

“All the laureates are coming together to express solidarity with the cause of Green Nepal,” said Upadhyay.

There is already palpable excitement about the presence of inspirational Chinese solar entrepreneur Huang Ming, who was awarded the Right Livelihood Award in 2011.

He will join Lobzang Tsultim of India’s Ladakh Ecological Development Group (RLA, 1986) and Koichi Kato, president of Seikatsu Club Consumers’ Co-operative Union (RLA, 1989), where they will brainstorm with bankers, policymakers, diplomats, and civil society representatives.

Outcomes of this high-level meeting will include the drafting and signing of the ‘Kathmandu Declaration’ and the creation of a ‘Make Nepal Green Fund’.

Laureates will then proceed to areas near Pokhara to examine renewable energy, eco-tourism, and organic farming initiatives and discuss ways in which they can be expanded across Nepal.

In anticipation of his travel to Nepal, Koichi Kato has said, “Make Nepal Green is an initiative of Nepali co-operatives.

As a consumer’s co-operative in Japan, we look forward to sharing experiences with our colleagues in Nepal to make our local communities more sustainable.” The seminar will take place at the Hotel Radisson on February 22 and 23.

Founded in 1980, the Right Livelihood Awards are presented annually in the Swedish Parliament and often referred to as ‘Alternative Nobel Prizes’.

There are now 162 Right Livelihood Award Recipients from 67 countries.