Red Panda-Tahr Int’l Conference stresses tourism promotion

Khotang, April 17: The ‘Biodiversity and Red Panda-Tahr International Conference, 2083’ kicked off here on Friday. The event has aimed at conserving wildlife facing extinct and promoting tourism. Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality organized the conference at Diktel bazaar, aiming at conserving the wildlife and raising awareness to minimize climate change impact.

Various federal and provincial government agencies and academic institutions have extended support to the three-day event. The international conference is attended by the people from Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, USA, Australia and Germany.

“Climate change has caused serious impact on wildlife and biodiversity in the world, where Nepal is no exception,” said Tirtharaj Bhattarai, Municipality Mayor, adding that the event would help formulate effective national policy on conservation of biodiversity.

According to Mayor Bhattarai, the conference would also encourage use of locally produced goods and contribute to creating employments and marketing at local level.

Tourism is another major frontier to receive a boost from the event, he argued. The experts and representatives from various countries would present 10 working papers in course of the conference.

Special focus would be made on biodiversity conservation, formulation of long-term plan, areas of wildlife facing extinct, identification of priority areas and issues, and national and international commitment relating to biodiversity.

The event was inaugurated jointly by Minister for Tourism, Forest and Environment of Koshi Province, Bhim Parajuli; and Vice Chancellor of Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Dr Dilip Subba.

A cultural pageant and a street drama were also performed as part of the event on Friday. The artworks (on red panda and tahr) created with the use of bamboo wicks were major attraction at the conference.

An artisan Shambhu Rai from Nerpa of Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi-6 prepared the animal replicas with bamboo and rattan. The visitors thronged the replicas and took pictures. —- Nepal