U.S. Embassy Symposium for World Water Day

March 24, 2008   

On March 24, the U.S. Embassy organized a symposium on water issues to commemorate the World Water Day at the new Embassy.  The symposium was devoted to the theme of the 2008 World Water Day: “Sanitation Matters.” 

The symposium focused on Nepal’s future water priorities and highlighted the contributions of American citizens to addressing Nepal’s water needs.

In her opening remarks, Ambassador Nancy J. Powell expressed confidence that Nepalis and friends of Nepal could come together to meet the challenges of providing clean water and sanitation, adequate water supplies, and effective sewage disposal for Kathmandu Valley. 

Recalling vivid impressions of the valley’s natural beauty from her first tour in the early 1980s, she urged Nepalis to create “an environmentally healthy Kathmandu Valley where the waters of the sacred Bagmati River sparkle and run clean throughout the year.”

Other speakers included Dr. Jagadish Chandra Pokharel, Vice-chairman, National Planning Commission; Dr. Siddhartha Bajracharya of the National Trust for Nature Conservation; Dr. Linda Smith, Director, Filters for Families Nepal; Mr. Brian Peniston, Director of the Mountain Institute; Ms. Arinita Shrestha, Director of USAID’s Hygiene Improvement Project; and American Fulbright scholar Tyler McMahon.

A wide spectrum of water experts, senior governmental officers, bi-lateral and multilateral agencies, international and national non-governmental organizations, environmental journalists, academics and university students attended the event.

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