proceedings report - himalayan consensus summit 2016

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Himalayan Consensus Summit 2016Secretariat

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Proceedings rePort

2016

PROCEEDINGS REPORT 1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Himalayan Consensus Summit successfully convened in Kathmandu on March 17 & 18, 2016. The response and positive feedback to the Summit has been overwhelming and much more than we expected.

First of all, we would like to thank all our sponsors -Altai Himalaya, European Union, Norwegian Embassy, The Asia Foundation and UNESCO, and partners – Four Seasons Travels and Tours, Hotel Himalaya, NeXus Art Hub, Norvic International Hospital, SABAH Nepal and The Himalayan Times, who made it possible for this event to happen.

We would also like to thank all the speakers, moderators and delegates for attending the event. Your presence and spirit helped us in articulating a new set of ideas for a fresh economic paradigm; a paradigm that is not built on greed but

compassionate capital and environmental economics.

Our sincere thanks to the organizing committee: Jeanne Lim, Kashu Dhakhwa, Shayasta Tuladhar and Tejaswee Shrestha; the main driving force behind the event. They were instrumental in identifying and planning all aspects of the event starting from session planning to logistics and media. We would also like to thank Shikshya Gyawali for handing all the finance related work of the Summit. Next, we would like to thank Akshov Shakya and Tejeshwi Nath Bhattarai for putting together the content of this report.

Finally, we like to thank all the other volunteers who supported the Summit’s activities in numerous ways and were equally responsible for bringing it to a success. We greatly appreciate your hard work and help during this event.

Laurence Brahm and Sujeev Shakya

PROCEEDINGS REPORT2

When we talk about a Himalayan Consensus, we are talking about the regions here which are interconnected. The Himalayan Consensus will articulate a new set of ideas for a fresh economic paradigm; a paradigm that is built on foundations of compassionate capital and environmental economics, and not monolithic globalization but diversified glocalization, and of course the economics of planetary integrity - what I like to call the integrated interconnectivity of everything.

The Himalayan Consensus is basically built on three core principles:i. The first is to protect local identity,

culture, and ethnicity - the things that are close to us in our community.

ii. The second is to do this through business, because aid itself comes and goes; it’s spent and it’s gone, when it should actually be about sustainability of communities. It is about businesses at the local level which means changing the financial paradigm to bring capital to people and communities.

iii. And lastly it is about prioritizing the environment, which does not have to be about hugging trees, but understanding

MESSAGE FROM LAURENCE BRAHM

the need to protect our environment and fighting against climate disruption.

Encompassing this is the overarching concept of security. At Himalayan consensus we believe that violence and terror emerges not from religion but rather from the dis-empowerment of people economically and the marginalization of their identity and community. So through economic empowerment if we can give people back their identity and hope in their own future, we can work towards reducing a lot of conflicts.

Himalayan Consensus as a concept began in 2002 when I went on three expeditions over a three year period. There I found different communities, each of whom were trying to preserve their culture and their natural environment through a local business model, and it was here that I realized that in the Himalayas, people pray to the snowcapped mountains because they know that the mountains preserve them. If we protect our environment it will protect our future.

South Asia is creating all kinds of business models based on sustainable development


It is about businesses at the local level which means changing the financial paradigm to bring capital to people and communities.

principles, which not only work towards protecting their cultures but also helps protect the environment. And in a region like this, it is all the more necessary to come together to work in the preservation of our most precious natural resource - water from the glaciers of the Himalayas. The world forgets that one third of humanity is nurtured by water systems that flows from glaciers. The Yellow, Yangzte River of China, the Salween, Mekong of Southeast Asia, and Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus River of South Asia all have their source here in the Himalayas. So, it is all the more reason to come up with means of dropping our carbon footprint and giving empowerment back to the community.

This led me to open up a social enterprise, one of the very first ones in Tibet, protecting heritage, because architecture is every person’s dialog with their own environment. So, if you want to protect heritage, you want to protect language and architecture. In turn I set up a series of hotels that were preserving culture and supporting medical programs and where environmentally everything was off the grid.

All this was brought to fruition following the earthquake in Nepal where I attended a few meetings with Sujeev Shakya, where I realized that innovative business leaders were really the first movers on addressing

disaster and providing relief. This brought out the very key point: that solutions are not coming from outside the room - from think tanks, far off western countries, or academics in the universities. The solutions are coming from communities, business leaders themselves, and the people who have to face the daily challenges of development.

As solutions to the challenges in the Himalayan region are being discovered from within, by communities and business leaders, fresh impetus has been provided for a new financial architecture that is now emerging with India and China as the front-runners and countries across this region with concepts like the Silk Road, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, or the New Development Bank. These institutions are actually responses to address the challenges of a new financial architecture which needs to be resilient and needs to have ideas that are local, because countries like China and India have already experienced the challenges coming out of underdevelopment.

So these practical experiences rather than theory, are so valuable. So, the solutions have to be local and I believe that this summit has helped us in evolving a new fresh economic paradigm.

LAURENCE BRAHM

PROCEEDINGS REPORT4

MESSAGE FROM SUJEEV SHAKYA

Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay in his recent TED Talk video talks about how his country is not only carbon neutral, but in fact carbon negative. Tobgay emphasizes how the world can help Bhutan succeed further in its foray into sustainability by donating for the ‘Bhutan For Life’ initiative, a 15 year, USD 45 million fund to maintain and manage Bhutan’s parks and wildlife corridors as it gears up for conservation efforts. He then appeals to the world to dream with him about creating an ‘Earth for Life’ fund to mobilize global resources to replicate what is happening in Bhutan. There is nothing better than this to set the stage for the Himalayan Consensus.

PLANETARY SUSTAINABILITYThe battle over resources is never-ending in this capitalist world. We have countries that are taking charge of resources in far-off continents. Human history is filled with examples of exploitation of resources by people with economic power. But abundance of resources can also create problems. Richard Auty, a British economist, came up with the phrase ‘resource curse’ to describe a phenomenon

where countries bestowed with natural resources face low economic growth. Similarly while countries in the Himalayas have great natural resources, they lag behind in economic growth indicators.

Countries have limited control on natural phenomena such as the flow of water or the movement of air. The Himalayan region is facing the challenge of increase in dust particles in the air and smog as people in the Indo-Gangetic Plain burn more wood and engage in construction that generates so much of dust. Atmospheric studies have revealed that the generation of dust particles in California can be traced to activities in Africa.

THE CONSENSUS DISCOURSEThe initiator of the concept Laurence Brahm, an American lawyer, in his book ‘Fusion Economics’ talks about the need to change the lenses with which we look at basic issues, be it compassionate capital or conscientious consumption. He argues that regions need to come together to discuss these issues without political borders as disasters have no boundaries and neither does the impact of climate change.


The last two major quakes in the Himalayas - Sikkim Earthquake in 2011 and Nepal Earthquake in 2015 - raise questions about the way urban settlements have been developed. They are not cities as they do not have traffic lights or management systems of modern cities. They are not towns as the people next door live like strangers and never contribute to basic civic duties like cleaning up garbage or sharing water in a sustainable manner. Planners who are good at planning in the flat lands and building matchbox structures are replicating it in the hills, making the towns in the Himalayas ugly sprawls with animals, humans and vehicles competing in badly planned roads. The British colonial powers are credited with building a lot of infrastructure in the hills but it is well known that the roads they built were to hunt for rare herbs and minerals and did not take cognizance of future population growth and economic development. The challenge of building the new Himalayan economy will be based not only on managing the resources

well but also planning for optimum sustainable usage of them.

The other big issue is funding businesses that are based on innovation with sustainability. Many good ways of renewable energy are being explored in the region like water harvesting or converting waste into manure. Globally, people are chasing the next big tech innovation. Billions of dollars are available but these people have to be excited about the possibilities of innovation in this part of the world.

Himalayan Consensus, an alternative development paradigm will redefine the way the world thinks of global development issues. The dream of a Davos in the Himalayas will now be a reality where every year global thought leaders will converge to discuss on the planet’s sustainability and efforts like the Earth For Life. The Himalayas will be the center of this great movement; that in the years to come will generate the same interest as the World Economic Forum.

SUJEEV SHAKYA

PROCEEDINGS REPORT6

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Acknowledgement 12. Message from Laurence Brahm 23. Message from Sujeev Shakya 44. The Himalayan Consensus Summit 2016 75. Key Outcomes 86. Session Details 9 6.1. Opening Plenary 9 6.2. Session 1: Shaking up the Status Quo: Searching for a New Paradigm 14 6.3. Session 2: Economics with Planetary Integrity 20 6.4. Session 3: Compassionate Capital and Conscientious Consumption 26 6.5. Session 4: Rebuilding the New Himalayas 32 6.6. Session 5: New Financial Architecture 40 6.7. Session 6: Himalayan Institutions: The New Paradigm 46 6.8. Closing Plenary: Drivers of the New Himalayan Economy 527. Social Media Snapshots 57 7.1. Facebook 57 7.2. Twitter 588. Heritage Restoration Work by the Himalayan Consensus 639. Books by Speakers 6710. Partners Exhibition 70 10.1. SAARC Business Association of Home Based Workers (SABAH), Nepal 72 10.2. Nexus Art Hub 72 10.3. Mandala Book Point 72 10.4. Shruti Foundation 7211. Photos from the Summit 7412. Organizers 76


Himalayan Consensus is a holistic economic development paradigm that emphasizes on the integrity of planetary eco-systems as an indispensable basis for socio-economic development.

The agenda of the HCS program is to design and create sustainable alternative solutions based on grass root and alternative efforts that are being developed. Himalayan Consensus’ aims to implement innovative solutions of social entrepreneurs into globally relevant models for environmentally enhanced economic development that applies Himalayan traditions towards contemporary challenges and priorities, and harmonizes the concerns of human communities, commercial enterprises, and the natural environment.

THE HIMALAYAN CONSENSUS SUMMIT 2016

The Himalayan region is defined as China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. The Summit aims to look over the 2,500 kilometer range covering different political boundaries that face common challenges, especially in the context of access of natural resources and capital, disaster mitigation for natural and human induced disasters, and preparedness.

Himalayan Consensus Institute (HCI), China and Nepal Economic Forum (NEF), Nepal jointly hosted the first Himalayan Consensus Summit (HCS) themed - Resilience, Readiness and Response, on March 17 and 18, 2016 in Hotel Himalaya, Kathmandu, showcasing the Himalayan character of resilience and exploring the issue of readiness and response beyond natural and human induced disasters.

PROCEEDINGS REPORT8

The outcomes of the first Summit exceeded the stated goals. At the end of the Himalayan Consensus Summit on March 18, the following outcomes were recognized:i) One of the main goals of the summit

was to provide critical input towards long term planning and development of goals for areas in the Himalayan region. By the end of the summit, the Himalayan Consensus as a fresh economic paradigm drew upon principles of ecological civilization and applying these toward reduction of carbon through green energy and empowerment of communities through finance, infrastructure, heritage preservation and connectivity;

ii) The Himalayan Consensus Summit will convene on an annual basis in Kathmandu given its neutrality, openness, visa accessibility, hotel infrastructure and location of the Himalayan Consensus Secretariat, with three to five regional outbreak meetings that will work to vet and articulate issues and select speakers for the major conference that will be held each March. This addresses the goal of the summit to provide a platform for people and institutions pursuing common areas

KEY OUTCOMES

of interest to set the stage for future collaborative modalities;

iii) The Summit had envisioned providing a platform for potential investors/agencies to meet with innovators and people engaged in developing home grown products and services. After the completion of the first summit, the Himalayan Consensus is now working towards establishing a major fund that will be led by investment banks and institutional investors for green energy and water conservation for the region, and a second smaller cap fund for heritage and cultural preservation that will be supported through sustainable local business;

iv) The Himalayan Consensus outcomes from each Summit will be published in a book that will be presented to all regional policy makers and heads of state. It will catalog the key learnings from existing interventions, and provide a laundry list of ideas, projects and opportunities for people to pursue.

v) The Himalayan Consensus initiative will connect with reciprocal conferences such as African Consensus and Sierra Consensus as parallel initiatives.

Himalayan Consensus is based on three core principles1. Protecting ethnic

diversity and indigenous identity.

2. Facilitating sustainable, economic programs, innovative financial models and socially-responsible businesses.

3. Prioritizing environmental protection and community development.


The opening plenary of the summit brought together global thought leaders to form a diverse panel and set the tone of the summit by sharing their experiences of working and observing different paradigm changes in the economic development of various countries and regions.

H. E. Renjse Teerink, Head of Delegation of European Union to Nepal: There is need for a new discourse that brings forward practical solutions to some of the most pressing problems faced by Asia; and the whole world, such as the growing pressure over natural resources, the consequences

OPENING PLENARY

of natural and man-made disasters, the need to find a fairer economic system that allows prosperity to reach all, and the means and mechanisms to achieve all of this. In context of strengthening connectivity, South Asia remains one of the least integrated regions in both political and economic fronts. This is an unfortunate paradox as historically, people and ideas have circulated freely in this part of the world and looking forward, meaningful cooperation will not just be beneficial but indispensable in finding solutions to common challenges and in realizing the shared goal of prosperity.

PROCEEDINGS REPORT10

H.E. Kjell Tormod Pettersen, Ambassador of Norway to Nepal: This is an exciting concept which needs to be explored as an alternative discourse in the region. The Himalayan region has diverse but fragile ecologies and rich natural resources, but as a region still lags behind in terms of development and welfare of its people. The Himalayan Consensus Summit is therefore very promising for identifying a new approach for improving the future of people in the Himalayan region and the development of ecosystems. Although climate change and carbon emissions are being talked about everywhere in the world today, it is a long leap from the conference halls of Paris to the rural

OPENING PLENARY

villages and hills of Nepal. If through this summit the Norwegian Embassy and Norway, can make a small change, it will be a small but an important one in the right direction.

Sam Pitroda, Policy Maker and Development Thinker: There is a need to redesign the world. While technology has a lot to offer and the possibilities for the future are unique, the designs we have today are not really geared towards taking advantage of all that technology has to offer. While technology has made tremendous leaps in helping the world deal with many of the challenges such as fighting diseases and reducing infant mortality, the world has also


OPENING PLENARY

seen new challenges emerging in the forms of rising inequalities, and terror threats.

The post-World War II designs which saw decolonization, Chinese modernization, formation of a bipolar world and then later a uni-polar world are now changing. There is therefore a need to design a world where everybody is connected and to leverage this connectivity for the better. The new design has to move the world from democracy to inclusion, human rights to human beings, from capital markets to environmental economy, from consumption to conservation, and from violence to non-violence and for this we need new institutions, new economy, new

measurements, and new organizational architectures.

Nirupama Rao, Former Foreign Secretary and Ambassador of India to US and China: Consensus is a term that eludes much of our political discourse today; whether internal or external. The very concept of a Himalayan Consensus is illuminated with meaning. I see the Himalayas as an abode of light, of sacred meaning, a Mandala of integrating spaces and composite cultures stretching from the Hindu-Kush in the West to mountains and foothills of the east, into India’s Northeast and Myanmar. In between this great fringe, that creates the frontiers


between South Asia, and the Central Asian plateau including Tibet, holds the secret to our future in terms of climate, water, sustainability, preservation of intangible cultural heritage, of precious languages, architecture, transport and communications. The critical question that faces us, is whether we will be able to elude sovereignties and cartographic lines, or whether we are able to access and advance the interests of the people in between.

Zhang Zhi Ping, Executive President, Fi n a n c e C e n t e r f o r S o u t h - S o u t h Cooperation: I have a deep respect for the principles of the Himalayan Consensus, which stress the importance of protecting ethnic diversity and indigenous identity.

OPENING PLENARY

The principles also resemble the essence of South-South Cooperation, a concept enriched significantly in the last six decades, built based on the principles of respect for sovereign right, solidarity and equality among partners and mutual benefit. As we embark into the new era of sustainable development, concepts such as Himalayan Consensus and South-South Cooperation are the key to forge collective efforts to improve the quality, effectiveness and impact of development cooperation. The new paradigm change in China g iv ing importance to supply-side structural reforms and international capacity cooperation also presents opportunities for unprecedented economic benefit to the world.


OPENING PLENARY

John Naisbitt, Best-Selling Author, Global Game Change and Megatrends: This summit is a great time for meeting and articulating discourses around a new paradigm as the world is changing far quicker than in the past several hundred years. For the past couple of

centuries the west has been at the helm for its own benefit but, now this is over and the world is moving towards a new arrangement. There is really a game change happening in the world and the Himalayan Consensus Summit can contribute towards this paradigm shift.

i. Geo-political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental paradigms and thought-processes are undergoing rapid changes around the world, and the Himalayan region is no exception.

ii. For such changes to be meaningful, the region will have to reorient its institutions in such a way so as to complement and advance these shifts. The Himalayan Consensus Summit is therefore a platform to ideate upon and articulate how such changes can be leveraged for the best.

KEY IDEAS FROM THE SESSION

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SHAKING UP THE STATUS QUO

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This session looked at development issues in the Himalayan region with a new lens. The Himalayan region has always seen replication of economic development models that are not tailor made to the availability of resources, topography and ecology. For instance, planning of towns in the hills have been designed replicating plans of large urban cities in the plains. The impact of natural disaster and the proliferation of disasters like landslides etc., have been a result of not looking at creative and new models tailor made to the unique Himalayan context. This session brought together practitioners in heritage and conservation who shared their perspectives on what went wrong, and shared new lenses to look at development in the Himalayas. The session was moderated by Aunohita Mojumdar, Editor, Himal Southasian.

SHAKING UP THE STATUS QUO: SEARCHING FOR A NEW PARADIGM1

SESSION

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According How Man Wong, President of China Exploration and Research Society, the idea of ‘consensus’ denotes building together something that all stakeholders

agree upon; the common denominator of things. However it is not enough to only document change, we also have to actively work towards protecting the environment by Nature and

culture are not bound by political borders; therefore highlighting on the need to understand the Himalayan ecology transcending borders.

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empowering communities through capacity-building. Nature and culture are not bound by political borders; therefore highlighting on the need to understand the Himalayan ecology transcending borders . It is essential that we work with respect for natural resources and cultural heritages, integrating cultural identities with integrity and self-respect, and subsequently its nexus with the natural environment. In the modern world, efficiency has become so important that valuable creations like handicrafts have lost ground to mechanized productions.

Sarosh Pradhan, Principal Architect, Sarosh Pradhan & Associates reflected on the models that are used today for architecture in the Himalayan region

which are a complete departure from the traditional forms and materials used. Modern methods of building are seen as a sign of affluence and subsequently people emerging from lower living standards to higher ones embrace such modern methods as symbols of their new found prosperity. Talking about ways of countering the need for economic efficiency in modern building methods; which are not sustainable in the long run, interventions such as strict building codes and their due implementation, and proper awareness among the general public could go a long way in building better.

Accord ing to Chris t ian Manhar t , UNESCO Representative to Nepal ,

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whi le most people ta lk about the resilience of the new concrete structures in Kathmandu; especially during the earthquake when old houses built using traditional methods were collapsing, the truth in fact is that concrete structures are able to withstand tremors only because they were new, the traditional methods of building, if properly maintained, are a much better alternative to modern concrete based structures. There are signs of loss of traditional architecture such as the wooden beams and crafts from important heritage monuments which

are improperly stored without protection from weather conditions despite the support provided by organizations like UNESCO.

Aunohita Mojumdar brought forward examples of Patan Durbar Square where the local community rallied to protect and recover quake-damaged sites in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake; following the thin presence of the state, thereby bringing to the fore a sense of responsibility and ownership in the community towards their heritage.

Development in the Himalayan region needs to be viewed from a new perspective, respecting the natural and cultural heritage as well as engaging local communities fruitfully in the process.

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Christian Manhart concurred, sharing his own experiences of the same site where local communities mobilized resources in an organized way to protect damaged sites and artifacts. However, as bureaucracy crept in, it became difficult for these communities to engage in the process which led to a slower pace in reconstruction, which could have otherwise had positive implications in terms of the sense of ownership of heritage and subsequent reconstruction efforts. How Man Wong however also stated that it is still the local communities who are best suited to

work their ways around the maze of corrupt bureaucracy and lax governance to work towards nature and heritage conservation.

Enriched by valuable ideas and experiences shared by experts and practitioners on the challenges faced by the Himalayan region, the outcome of the session was the understanding that development in the Himalayan region needs to be viewed from a new perspective, respecting the natural and cultural heritage as well as engaging local communities fruitfully in the process.

i. Models that are used today for architecture in the Himalayan region are a complete departure from the traditional forms and materials which could be much better alternative to modern concrete based structures.

ii. Local communities can be mobilized for heritage conservation on finding economic models which can contribute towards incentivizing the conservation and use of local and traditional materials and methods of building.


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ECONOMICS WITH PLANETARY INTERGRITY

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This session dealt with the sustainability discourse and the need for conscientiously adapting ways of operating businesses to the tempo of the environment. More so, the session focused on understanding more intricately the supply side of natural resources i.e. the impact of climate change, food security, climate disruption and various other issues that has direct bearing on the future of the Himalayas. With panel consisting of experts in the field of environmental sciences, the session was moderated by Laurence Brahm, Founder, Himalayan Consensus Institute.

ECONOMICS WITH PLANETARY INTEGRITY

2SESSION

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Discussions were initiated with the possible emergence of an ‘ecological civilization’ which the Chinese government has been pushing through in a bid to clamp down on its environmental issues. Contemplating on a rather grim yet not entirely impossible possibility of water becoming a rare commodity than oil, Laurence Brahm addressed the need for rethinking growth models whereby civilizations across boundaries ought to be ecologically aware.

Arnico Panday, Senior Atmospheric Scientist, ICIMOD, shed light on the changing climate and how pollution knows no boundaries. He provided instances of stark disruptions in the ecology of Nepal, where agricultural fires in Punjab, India resulted in hazy atmosphere in Kathmandu a day after. Similarly, in Mustang, a Himalayan town North West of Kathmandu and naturally a barren land, where rainfall has risen to unusually high levels along with emergence of mosquitoes

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which in earlier times would have been unheard of – a phenomenon largely attributable to carbon buildups beyond the political vicinity of Nepal. He also stressed on the necessity of exploring new ways in tackling ecologically unfavorable outcomes at the same time ensuring development while acknowledging that there is a trade-off between economic development and environment, with pollution being the inevitable outcome of development.

With it being made abundantly clear that activities beyond the Himalayan region would have an impact on the region, Mats Eriksson, Director, Climate Change and Water, Stockholm International Water Institute highlighted the inherent responsibility of not just the Himalayan regions but other parts of the world as well to protect its resources; especially water in the region. Claiming the Hindu-Kush Himalayas to be the water-tanks of the region, he pointed

There is a trade-off between economic development and environment, with pollution being the inevitable outcome of development.

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out that water as a resource is a connecting factor; in terms of goods consumed all over the world being produced utilizing resources from the Himalayan region. Therefore, with interconnected supply chains, sustainable resource utilization was emphasized to be a requirement for all the nations.

Sun Lizhou, Executive Director and Assistant Professor, Himalaya Institute China meanwhile observed that the inhabitants of the Himalayan region share similar cultural ties transcending beyond political boundaries. He further emphasized the potential the current summit harbors in unleashing ideas

Water as a

resource is a

connecting factor;

in terms of goods

consumed all over

the world being

produced utilizing

resources from

the Himalayan

region.

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which could be further extended to a global platform in the years to come.

Of late, the discourse surrounding environment and sustainable use of resources have been in the forefront of

global conferences. With the summit, the focus centered on identifying problems and brainstorming on solutions at a local level, keeping in mind that local groups could provide certain insights that the top-down model is likely to miss.

i. There is a trade-off between economic development and the environment and externalities such as pollution have cross-border implications.

ii. Such realities have demanded for a rethinking on growth models where civilizations across boundaries are ecologically aware and accountable for their ecological damages.


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COMPASSIONATE CAPITAL AND CONSCIENTIOUS CONSUMPTION

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This session brought forward an understanding of the various facets of consumption patterns including energy, and the way in which financial capital is deployed, as well as innovation in these areas. The session brought together innovators in their respective fields and was moderated by Sujeev Shakya, Chair, Nepal Economic Forum.


3SESSION

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An important area of focus was how in today’s technology driven world, data

and open access to it are fundamental in making real changes. Ryan Nadeau,

Solutions to the problems of the Himalayan region need to be hyper-local, meanwhile technologies like mobile communication can be harnessed to address and mitigate problems in the Himalayan regions.

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Director, Special Projects, Galvanize Inc. (US), stated that for businesses today, capital is not just money, but also very importantly the data they collect. Solutions to the problems of the Himalayan region need to be hyper-local, meanwhile technologies like mobile communication can be harnessed to address and mitigate problems in the Himalayan regions.

Sumana Shrestha, Founder, Carpool Kathmandu and Medication for Nepal, raised the point about how in Nepal, the problem might not necessarily be

the lack of data, but rather the lack of enough skilled manpower to analyse such data and make use of them for the better. The session also brought forward important points about how businesses in Nepal are risk averse and how failure is seen as an end-all; which could be a cultural by-product, and how such attitudes discourage entrepreneurship. Sumana Shrestha subsequently raised the impor tance o f improv ing the competitiveness of the private sector in Nepal by combating the entry-barriers that plague market entrants in almost every sector.

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Celine Cousteau, French-American Filmmaker, meanwhile brought forward how communication networks are vital in facilitating change, and therefore it is important to have storytellers on the ground to bring unbiased data to the fore.

She focused on how investing in local people within their local cultures is extremely important, and Ryan Nadeau floated the idea of having a local ‘angels’ fund’ to promote entrepreneurship which could help small businesses access capital at low interest rates.

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Similarly, ideas were also floated about the possibilities and potentials of jump-starting innovative virtual-entrepreneurship initiatives, and while at present such technology is still fairly expensive, the

opportunities that it throws open are unbound. The session was instrumental in recalibrating the discourse around capital and consumption, providing key impetus to the shaping of a new paradigm.

i. Solutions to the problems of the Himalayan region need to be hyper-local and effective, meanwhile innovative communication networks are vital to facilitate such changes.

ii. Investing in local people within their local cultures is extremely important and so is helping businesses access capital at lower rates.


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REBUILDING THE NEW HIMALAYAS

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This session focused on issues relating to governance and institutional structures and understanding the multi-pronged strategies required to rebuild after natural as well as economic disasters. The session reflected upon varied perspectives based on experiences of working in the Himalayan region, and provided a framework of thoughts on what government and institutions have done, and what it would need to do. The session was moderated by Suman Shakya, Managing Director, One Planet Solution.

REBUILDING THE NEW HIMALAYAS4

SESSION

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Khampa Tshering, Media and Business Consultant, Bhutan, started the session by highlighting the importance of making the correct choice in development models, citing the example of Bhutan, which chose to give greater importance to Gross National Happiness (GNH) than Gross Domestic Product (GDP), choosing a more sustainable model of development over conventional models that indiscriminately exploit natural resources. Speaking on the construction of

the Gross National Happiness Index, he expressed how the domain of psychological well-being is the most important domain which shows that the GNH is not all about material well-being and growth but also involves emotional and spiritual well-being. The GNH index is created in such a way that it accommodates all kinds of alternative models and solutions to enable or create enabling conditions for people to be happier. GNH can be a model that

The Gross National Happiness (GNH) index is created in such a way that it accommodates all kinds of alternative models and solutions to enable or create enabling conditions for people to be happier.

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can be agreed upon in the larger consensus being built.

Mahendra Lama, Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, India stated that there has been a hegemonic discourse on the Himalayan region; which is based on misplaced notions and perceptions about the region. The time has come to question, challenge, and give alternative perspectives and perceptions on the region.

The alternative discourse should replace the existing discourse on the Himalayan region, cutting across political regimes, communities, geographic boundaries, governance, ideologies, and institutions. For a new paradigm and perception on the Himalayan region to emerge three critical discourses - borders, what is mainstream and what is periphery, and globalization, need to be uprooted and replaced by a new discourse in accordance to the communities’ needs.

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The first of such discourse is on borders. Generally, borders are perceived as geometric lines separating political entities and such thinking gives rise to orthodox national security discourse that limits thinking beyond borders. The thinking on borders should therefore be shaped by the idea of borderlands instead, which constitutes economies, migration, culture, tourism, natural resources all cutting across borders. Borders need to be viewed as opportunities rather than as national security threats.

Secondly, the development discourse has for long relegated the Himalayan region to the

periphery and such development models have failed. This perspective needs to change and the alternative model should be built with the Himalayan region as the mainstream. Thirdly, with globalization, what really happened was the localization of global but what the people of the region want is the globalization of local knowledge systems, institutions, traditional wisdoms, and practices. Unless these three ideas that have dominated thinking on the Himalayan region can be uprooted, a new discourse that will usher prosperity, happiness, equality, inclusiveness, and broadness in the entire system of the Himalayas’ functioning will not be possible.

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Li Lin, Program Executive Director at WWF China, focused on the three principles of consensus, learning, and rebuilding. In order to build a consensus, there first has to be a complete understanding and appreciation of cultures, practices, and ways of life of people of the region. When comparing the Himalayan region to China 30 years ago, there are similarities in terms of the desire for development but also stark differences in terms of how spiritual beliefs have held people together in the Himalayas; the treasure of this region. Because learning from development experiences of the rest of the world is

very important, the Himalayan region can learn about preventing calamities such as widespread pollution of resources by carefully examining the development model of the developed world and avoiding the same mistakes.

No one can understand the Himalayan region as the people of the region do, hence the initiative for inheriting, enriching, and rebuilding the new Himalayas lies with the people of this region itself. There is therefore a need of reclaiming the Himalayas in order to make this region the ‘Himalayans’ Himalaya’.

There is therefore a need of reclaiming the Himalayas in order to make this region the ‘Himalayans’ Himalaya’.

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Anne Feenstra, Dean, Faculty of Architecture at Cept University, identified how sustainable models can be build when the real needs of the community can be identified better. He shed light on the emergence of conflict between nature and mankind such as the Red Panda Habitat Protection project in eastern Sikkim which ran into trouble as

communities in the area started cutting down trees and other plants for fuel to keep their houses warm. Such conflict can be mitigated by properly identifying the communities’ needs, bringing in sustainable practices, allowing communities to decide upon the best options to solve the problem, and by mobilizing locally available resources

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to make houses insulated from the cold and wet climate in the region, significantly reducing people’s dependence on firewood.

The session brought together valuable insights from the panelists on alternative development models for the Himalayan region, as well as pre-requisites for

adopting such paradigms; such as the need to replace the current discourse with one that the Himalayan region can itself take ownership of by reorienting and rebuilding its institutions, capturing the essence of its rich traditional knowledge and wisdom, and by properly identifying and addressing the needs of the communities in the region.

i. The alternative development paradigm for the Himalayan region should be based on sustainable models which identifies the needs of communities and empowers them to make better choices for themselves and their environment.

ii. The alternative discourse should replace the existing discourse on the Himalayan region, cutting across political regimes, communities, geographic boundaries, governance, ideologies, and institutions.


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NEW FINANCIAL ARCHITECTURE

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The session explored innovation and emergence of new institutions that provides financial capital and access to finance. Speakers working across the diverse range of areas in finance ideated on the new architecture that will provide the engine of growth to accelerate the pace of economic development in the region. Del Christensen, Chief of Global Business Development for the Bay Area Council (US), moderated this session.

NEW FINANCIAL ARCHITECTURE5

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While traditionally financing of development, post-disaster reconstruction and large infrastructure development used to be a public

sector domain, this trend is now changing rapidly with private capital ready and available to address such financing challenges.

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Eckart Roth, Chief Risk Officer, Peak Re- Hong Kong, stated that dependence on government funds for post-disaster financing puts a great strain upon government budgets—which would otherwise be channeled into sectors like building large scale infrastructure projects—for many years together. Therefore, private capital has to be seen as a viable alternative to such financing challenges.

Renaud Meyer, Country Director, UNDP in Nepal, talked about how Official Development Assistance (ODA)

is declining, and the imperative to rope in the private sector productively into the realm of development. Most of Nepal’s remittance income gets spent on consumption and if there was an incentive structure that could help re-inject these funds into development programs, the impact of it would be much more far-reaching. Pre-investing into building resilience is very important when you are working in the area of disaster management and response. With this even the cost of prevention is much lower than the price tag of reconstruction.

Pre-investing into building resilience is very important when you are working in the area of disaster management and response.

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According to Sashin Joshi, Chief Executive Officer, Nabil Bank, unless there is enough investments made in infrastructure development, living standards in the region cannot be lifted significantly. To do so, the private sector has to be proactively engaged in infrastructure development. However, there are certain pre-requisites to it, such as strong rule of law, which is where Nepal lags behind.

Tim Gocher, Founder and CEO, Dolma Impact Fund, Nepal, presented the idea of the Himalayan region as an ecological and financial asset which could be harnessed sustainably to benefit hundreds of millions of lives that depend upon it. Renewable energy is the comparative advantage of the Himalayan region. He also

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agreed on the importance of focusing on infrastructure development to lift living standards of people in the region. In order to attract private equity and capital to such infrastructure projects, there needs to be a level playing field across grants, development finance, equity funds, and private sector.

The session, which brought together panelists of diverse portfolios, albeit all of whom have significant roles in engineering the new financial architecture for the Himalayan region, contributed significantly towards prodding the financial side of the discourse on Himalayan Consensus and the new paradigm forward.

i. As the Official Development Assistance (ODA) is declining it is imperative to rope in the private sector productively into the realm of development.

ii. Attracting private equity and capital for development and infrastructure building will be the key to providing better lives to people of the region.


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HIMALAYAN INSTITUTIONS: THE NEW PARADIGM

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This session provided a platform for speakers from diverse institutions working on grass root and home grown and innovative institutions to share their experiences and provide a perspective to what they think are some of the new ways in which such institutions will and shall go through transformation. This session was moderated by Arpita Nepal, Co-founder and Director, Samriddhi Foundation.


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The session started with three optimistic propositions by Arpita Nepal. Firstly how societies, its institutions and structures are becoming more inclusive while asserting its own unique cultures and ethnic diversity. Secondly, how grass root levels are actively participating in policy and decision making and simultaneously moving to higher levels of accountability. Lastly, How institutions nowadays are making conscious efforts to protect the environment and indigenous knowhow.

Suren Badral, Former Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mongolia, in his video address put forward how both Mongolia and Nepal have common traits - both being sandwiched between two large and powerful neighbors. He elucidated the rationale of Mongolia’s third neighbor policy which holds relevance to Nepal as well. The Third Neighbor Policy is aimed to create a solid counter balance of interests and presence of other important countries in case our two neighbors start dominating in

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Mongolia politically and economically. This policy has proved vital during the last 25 years when China and Russia have become more assertive global players in the world affairs.

Ajaya Mani Dixit, Executive Director, The Institute for Social and Environmental Transition Nepal, brought forward that the need to put out ideas on the public discourse setup and be a part of the process.

The ideas you present, the work that you do and the knowledge that you engage does get carried forward in due course of time; and as these are carried forward things change and a new discourse emerges.

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The ideas you present, the work that you do and the knowledge that you engage does get carried forward in due course of time; and as these are carried forward things change and a new discourse emerges.

Narayan Dhakal, Executive Director, Eco Himal, Nepal shared his insights on three topics - participation, ownership and sustainability. Participation should be meaningful and not just about convincing donors and others institutions. Meanwhile

for ownership to develop one should first feel that the organizations are working towards their goal. Lastly, sustainability comes automatically when communities take ownership and participate actively. With some examples of the work that EcoHimal is currently pursuing, he highlighted how it is working to recognize and address local challenges. Informal structures are now getting formalized and there is a trend where organizations, which are goal oriented rather than service oriented, are mushrooming.

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Citing example of the heritage restoration work being pursued in Ramgarh Shekhawati, Shruti Nada Poddar, Founder Shruti Foundation, India spoke about how this business model is sustainable because the community itself is engaged in restoring the heritage location and reviving lost skills; citing examples of how Shruti Foundation is working to

attract government attention to Ramgarh Shekhawati by organizing an exhibition. Understanding that without working in the tourism sector neither local people nor the government will be interested in investing their time and resources, Shruti Foundation is now successfully working towards restoring the heritage site and trying to attract tourists in the city.

i. The essence of success of grass root institutions lies in creating value for the environment and also ensuring that there are livelihoods attached to it.

ii. Incentive driven models contribute in fostering sense of ownership and participation.


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CLOSING PLENARY \ DRIVERS OF THE NEW HIMALAYAN ECONOMY

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The closing plenary provided an opportunity to summarize the discussions as well as determine key actionable points and outcomes from the summit that can be taken up by various institutions.

DRIVERS OF THE NEW HIMALAYAN ECONOMY

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Ambica Shrestha, Chairperson, Dwarika’s Hotel: The very idea of Himalayan Consensus is very important for the region to develop. This should not just be the only time we talk about the Himalayan Consensus and it is not just us who should be talking about it. This concept should continue forward and engage more and more people in the discourse; because unless things are people oriented, success is difficult to attain. We have been calling ourselves poor but in fact we are the richest when it comes to culture and heritage. We do not appreciate what we have; and we tend to forget our nature and people. In reality, we need to work with these people, revive what we have and honor what we

have not lost and make sure that we do not lose what we have left.

Del Christensen, Chief of Global Business Development, Bay Area Council in California: The world is connected; if we solve the problem here we might not have to solve the problem in the United States. We need to see what problems we have in common between the Himalayas and Sierras; we should have a Sierra Consensus and pulling together some of the great people and tie it to the Himalayas.

Leela Mani Paudyal, Former Chief Secretary, Government of Nepal: The development models led by Bretton Woods has failed

We do not appreciate what we have; and we tend to forget our nature and people.

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to usher in the real development process. Hence, there is a need for a new paradigm where all policies, programs and projects we develop must be aligned with local knowledge, experience, resources and values.

Laurence Brahm, Founder of Himalayan Consensus Institute, China: Kathmandu will one day be the Davos of the Himalayan Consensus, where we will have an annual Himalayan Consensus Summit. Key

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actionable points that have emerged from the summit are:i. The publication of a Himalayan

Consensus Book documenting the discourse that took place during the two-day summit.

ii. Formation of Himalayan Renewables and Energy Efficiency Fund (HiREEF). This fund is to be led by Tim Gocher, Dolma Impact Fund and will work towards green energy and water conservation for the region.

iii. Formation of Himalayan Heritage and Sustainable Business Fund (HiHSUBF). This fund is to be led by Christopher Giercke, Altai Himalaya and will work towards heritage and cultural preservation.

iv. Formation of Himalayan Consensus Small Grant Project (HiCOS).

v. The continuation of the discourse forward in the form of an annual summit—a Davos summit of the East.

vi. Documentary on the Himalayan Consensus by Celine Cousteau.


SOCIAL MEDIA SNAPSHOTS

FacebookThe hashtags #HCS2016 and #HimalayanConsensus were used by the attendees present in the summit to share their experiences.

Sarad Pradhan

Follow - March 18 -

Almost two decades ago Renton de Alwis used to tell me about Megatrends Asia authored by John Naisbitt. Luckily, Himalayan Consensus provided me this opportunity to meet him and his wife and got his latest book- Global Game Changer. In between the breaks in the Summit, I talked with him about his writings and forecast he made about Asian region.Thanks again Sujeev Shakya for this wonderful meeting with John and Doris Naisbitt.#himalayanconsensus

Like Comment Share

Sujeev Shakya and 37 others

Renton de Alwis Happy for you Sarad-Ji. As I told you then, he was among

the firsts in showing the world that China will get to where it is today, when all

knew China as the underdeveloped cheap goods manufacturing base of the

world. I met him several time in Singapo... See More

Like - Reply - March 19 at 6:23am - Edited

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TwitterInside the Summit hall, there was a screen projecting the live tweets from the audience. The hashtags #HCS2016 and #HimalayanConsensus were widely used by the twitter users present in the Summit

SOCIAL MEDIA SNAPSHOT

Celine Cousteau @celinecousteau - Mar 17 Attending @HCS_2016 #HimalayanConsensus as advisor & speaker. @LaurenceBrahm “Restoring cultural identity reduces conflict” #Nepal #hope

4 8

Sujeev Shakya @sujeevshakya - Mar 18 @paudyallm one of initial co-traveller of #HimalayanConsensus reflects on the concept as it built at @HCS_2016

1 1



Tejeshwi N Bhattarai @TejeshwiB - Mar 18 Rich and innovative ideas on finding the #NewParadigm being presented by global thinkers at the #HimalayanConsensus summit. #HCS2016

1

Joshua Ryan @joshuamryan - Mar 18 Renaud Meyer @ the #HimalayanConsensus Summit speaking some hard truths amid a fascinating discussion bw trade & aid

UNDP in Nepal @UNDPNepal - Mar 18 Live: ‘It is not money that Nepal is lacking, but d capacity 2 spend’: @RenaudMeyer at #HimalayanConsensus @HCS_2016

17 15

Retweeted

Dikshya Singh @diykhsya - Mar 18 @HCS_2016 speakers at Rebuilding the New Himalayas were referring to this map while talking abt relooking region

Himal Southasian @Himalistan Read why Himal Southasian decided to rotate the map of Southasia... himalmag,com/the-right-side...

1



Renaud Meyer @renaudmeyer - Mar 18 Building consensus w/ partners in the Himalayas on financing 4 development & resilience #HimalayanConsensus #SDG17

UNDP in Nepal, Haoliang Xu, Helen Clark and 7 others

13 17

Tejaswee Shrestha @Tejaswee90 - Mar 18 If Coco-cola & Pantene can reach d remote regions in the country, why not d government? -Prof. Mahendra Lama #HimalayanConsensus @HCS_2016

1 3



Sh Tuladhar @shtuladhar - Mar 18 Suren @Badrals addresses the # #HimalayanConsensus Summit via video & talks about the need for a 3rd neighbor policy

Himalayan Consensus Retweeted

Suren Badral @Badrals - Mar 21tribuneindia.com/mobi/news/comm... CONSENSUS eludes much of our political discourse... Despite this, the concept of a Himalayan Consensus is compelling

Towards a Himalayn ConsensusConsensus eludes much of our political discourse, today. tribuneindia.com

5 2


Sujeev Shakya Retweeted

Narayan Adhikari @yinayan - Mar 17Great to be part of the #himalayanConsensus summit, very inspiring n thoughtful -thanks @sujeevshakya

1 3



HERITAGE RESTORATION WORK BY THE HIMALAYAN CONSENSUS

The earthquake of April 2015 destroyed some key heritage icons and religious sites in Nepal. Post-earthquake, the Himalayan Consensus worked on two restoration projects in two different communities of Kathmandu Valley with the aim of promoting heritage restoration, community empowerment, identity and sustainability.

The first project was the Lama’s Residence restoration in Boudha and second one was the restoration of the Sulema Temple, the oldest Hindu tantric shrine in Patan. Funds for the second restoration work were gathered via the ‘Adopt a Temple’

fundraising event in Hong Kong. On the morning of the opening of the Himalayan Consensus Summit, speakers and board members attended an unveiling of the Sulema Temple restoration.

Heritage restoration of a holy site involves spiritual centering of a community, the mobilization of traditional artisans, creation of jobs and rehabilitation of surrounding architecture as part of overall community re-empowerment. These two restoration work can be viewed as a commitment to the heritage restoration fund which the Himalayan Consensus Summit 2016 plans to establish.

HERITAGE RESTORATION


RESTORATION OFLAMA RESIDENCE IN BOUDHA

Donors: Carol Wolfson, Michael Garvey, and the Himalayan Consensus Institute



RESTORATION OF THE SULEMA TEMPLE

Donors: Alen Cheng, Angie Lau, David Ketchum, Douglas Gerber, Franz Hahn, Geoff Bell, Jane Ketchum, Jeanne Lim, John Leonard, Katherine Chan and Wendy Yeh



BOOKS BY SPEAKERS

FUSION ECONOMICS: HOW PRAGMATISM IS CHANGING THE WORLD BY LAURENCE BRAHM

Fusion Economics brings together the idea of western and eastern economies and discusses how bringing the strengths from the two economies can work to solve some of the world problems. In this book Brahm, explores how the Chinese and even Russian economic models have evolved while claiming the Washington Consensus is dead.

The author with his insights and experience working in China and other governments with different economic models shows how a fusion of models and culture can come together to create an alternative that will help solve world problems rather than create them.

UNLEASHING NEPAL BY SUJEEV SHAKYA

In his book Unleashing Nepal, Sujeev Shakya provides a perspective on how Nepali is transforming for the better. He believes that Nepal’s transformation from an erstwhile fragile state to a frontier investment destination is happening in reality. The updated and revised version of Unleashing Nepal 2013 provides an update on the past five years since the book was first published.

The new edition updates not only data and existing chapters like talking about the “Rise of the Bahun Business Barons” but a new chapter has been added entitled “In Search of Unleashing”.

Sprinkled with anecdotes from his own personal journey, Unleashing Nepal is a compelling read.

BOOKS OF SPEAKERS


BOOKS OF SPEAKERS

DREAMING BIG: MY JOURNEY TO CONNECT INDIA BY SAM PITRODA

Dreaming Big, written as an autobiography, is an account of the life and work of Sam Pitroda. The book embarks a life long journey of Sam Pitroda starting from his birth in 1964 in Titilagarh in Odisha to his revolutionary career in United States and India. Further, the book also tells his success in the telecommunication revolution of India and important role played by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in achieving the revolution. It also highlights important incidents in his life after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. Overall, it tells an astonishing and heart-warming story of how one man at the top hits rock bottom - only to rise again and make his fortune twice over.

GLOBALISATION AND CULTURAL PRACTICES IN MOUNTAIN AREAS BY MAHENDRA LAMA

The book, Globalisation and Cultural Practices in Mountain Areas, is an outcome of an International Conference on ‘Globalisation and Cultural Practices in Mountain Areas: Dynamics, Dimensions and Implications’ held at Sikkim University. It critically examines and analyses the deeper and wider processes that would explain the dynamics brought about by globalisation in the Himalayas.

It explores the conflict, cooperation and resistance between indigenous knowledge, practices and institutions with so-called global scientific knowledge and technologies; assesses the impacts of globalisation on the practices of mountain societies, on the cultural and social capital as well as examines the role of new developmental agencies and institutions involved in bringing about change in the mountain region. Further, it provides an opportunity to address the critical issues that help in formulating policies leading to preservation of unique culture of the Himalayas.


BOOKS OF SPEAKERS

GLOBAL GAME CHANGE: HOW THE GLOBAL SOUTHERN BELT WILL RESHAPE OUR WORLD BY JOHN AND DORIS NAISBITT

Like Megatrends in 1982, Global Game Change offers an indispensable roadmap of the transforming global landscape. It replaces the uncertainty of rapid change with a description of the future. It enables entrepreneurs, corporations and governments to reposition themselves to new global conditions. Global Game Change describes the opening up of a new multicentric, multi-option world.

With the economic awakening of 80% of the world’s population new economic alliances, alternatives to international organizations, and a new balance of power are advancing. In the tailwinds of China, which has become the global game changer, new markets and a new global consumer class growing to 4 billion in the next decade is waiting to be conquered. Emerging and revitalized cities will absorb most of the new middle class.

CHINA’S MEGATRENDS: THE 8 PILLARS OF A NEW SOCIETY BY JOHN AND DORIS NAISBITT

In this book the authors, John and Doris Naisbitt, provide an in-depth study of the fundamental changes in China’s social, political, and economic life, and their impact on the West. With an inside out approach, China’s Megatrends describes the “eight pillars” which built the foundation on which China changed from a nation of poverty and backwardness to become the second largest economy of the world, beating Germany as export champion, and challenging America as the most competitive nation.


PARTNERS EXHIBITION


PARTNERS EXHIBITION

PARTNERS EXHIBITION


PARTNERS EXHIBITION

SAARC BUSINESS OF HOME BASED WORKERS (SABAH)During the one and half day summit organized at Hotel Himalaya, SABAH displayed hand crafted products of over 2,000 home women workers. Products displayed ranged from apparels, and hand woven fabrics, to knitwear and accessories.

SABAH Nepal is a social-business organization which works towards strengthening the livelihoods of financially deprived and marginalized home based workers of Nepal. By enhancing and utilizing their own indigenous skills, SABAH Nepal helps in improving their economic opportunities and also conserving Nepal’s heritage and craftsmanship.

NEXUS ART HUBAs a part of the Himalayan Consensus Summit side event, NexUs Culture Nepal organized a program ‘Being in the Himalayas’ on March 18, 2016 supported by Himalayan Consensus Summit. The program, moderated by Pasang Yangjee Sherpa, native of Pharak in the Everest region, and an anthropologist explored: How can “being in the Himalayas” inspire generations; How can one capture the essence of “being in the Himalayas;” How can “being in the Himalayas” help us

find alternative solutions to sustainability challenges?

During the event KG Ranjit, a renowned Nepali artist, displayed selected paintings of the Himalayas; capturing the virtue and essence of their majesty. His artistic play with lights on the mountains brings them to life for the viewers.

Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year 2016, interacted with the audience and shared her perspectives on the Himalayas.

MANDALA BOOK POINTMandala Book Point displayed its range of books during the summit, showcasing books by the speakers as well as those from the Himalayan regions. This gave an opportunity for attendees to personally meet the authors as well as get the book signed by those authors present at the summit.

SHRUTI FOUNDATIONShruti Nada Poddar displayed pieces of art from the heritage location Ramgarh Shekhawati in Rajasthan. She is involved with the preservation of Cultural Heritage and Resurrection of the Indian village ethos through Shruti Foundation’s “Ramgarh Village Revival Initiative”.


PARTNERS EXHIBITION


PHOTOS FROM THE SUMMIT


The Himalayan Consensus and the African Consensus was conceptualized by Laurence Brahm; a global activist, international lawyer, author and chief economist of the New Earth Institute. The concept behind Himalayan and African Consensus evolved from decades in the field advising on investments, economic-financial reform and development, while pioneering one of the earliest social enterprises located in the Himalayas.

The Summit will be led by the Himalayan Consensus Institute (HCI), an organization registered in Hong Kong. The implementation partner for this Summit is Nepal Economic Forum (NEF).

The Organizers

Nepal Economic Forum

Himalayan Consensus InstituteThe Himalayan Consensus Institute (HCI) promotes grass roots innovation to evolve the social enterprise concept into fresh models for community empowerment, addressing challenges of climate change across the Himalayan region. Areas of focus include: renewable and efficient energy, organic agriculture, water conservation, inclusive finance, and prevention of conflict. Key themes include: empowerment of identity through heritage and artisan protection, and the closing of income gaps through economic empowerment of communities.

The Himalayan Consensus process involves convening an annual conference that will bring together both grass roots and NGO pioneers of social enterprise across the region, together with business and financial leaders, in seeking pragmatic ways to scale local solutions. Throughout the year the Himalayan Consensus Institute will matrix outcomes from the conference together with examples of social enterprise innovation across the Himalayan region, evolving these into a fresh economic paradigm.

Nepal Economic Forum (NEF), is a not for profit organization aiming to be Nepal’s premier private sector led economic policy and research institution. NEF strives to re-define the economic development discourse in Nepal, and works towards strengthening the Nepali economy through

various activities that promote the growth of an efficient and inclusive private sector. NEF engages in research, analysis and information dissemination to shape national agendas through partnerships.

NEF has successfully hosted multiple events for its own organization as well as external institutions. It has also worked in collaboration with multiple development partners and institutions such as Chatham House, WWF, DANIDA, The Asia Foundation, etc. NEF is currently a recipient of the Think Tank Fund by Open Society Foundations. NEF is committed to the areas of Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Alternative Development Paradigms as showcased by its work in these areas.

NEPALECONOMIC FORUM

RESILIENCE, READINESS & RESPONSE.

PROCEEDINGS REPORT

2016

SPONSORS

SUPPORTED BY:

PARTNERS

PRINCIPAL SPONSOR

Kathmandu Office

With the support of

United NationsEducational, Scientific and

Cultural Organization

Himalayan Consensus Summit 2016Secretariat

Nepal Economic Forum, Lalitpur -3, NepalTel: +977-1-5548400 E-mail: [email protected]

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proceedings report - himalayan consensus summit 2016

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