G P Koirala Foundation for Democracy, Peace and Development, organized a workshop on ‘Nepalese Youths and Development’ in Kathmandu on 6 September 2012.
A large number of participants including former ministers, ex-ambassadors, academicians, labours, professionals and researchers, youths and journalists participated in the workshop chaired by Sujata Koirala, Chairperson of the Foundation.
The workshop that began with a welcome note from Prof. Dr Dilip Subba featured a paper presented on Nepalese Youths and Development by Surya Prasad Bhandari.
Prof. Dr. Ganesh Gurung and NC leader Ramesh Lekhak commented on the paper. Recalling his only one meeting with late Girija Prasad Koirala and appreciating the paper as relevant. Dr. Gurung noted that labour migration was the largest factor of Nepal’s economy. Appreciating the paper as relevant, Lekhak said that youths have energy and by utilizing their energy, we can change the face of the nation quite soon. Comparing the youths with fast flowing rivers, he noted that if we tamed and exploited their potential we could transform our nation in a short period of time but if we failed to do so they might be a source of devastation.
Chief Guest Ananda Prasad Dungana said that the workshop was highly relevant and said the participants raised the issues of policy and implementation and added that policy alone would not work if it was not implemented. Terming youths as pillars of the nation, he said that all youths favour change in the society. “No effort has been made to manage the youths.”
Former ambassador and academician Prof. Dr Mohan Lohani recalled how Foreign Minister Narayankaji Shrestha was shocked seeing the plight of the Nepali workers during his recent visit to Qatar.
Former ambassador Bal Bahadur Kunwar appreciated the paper for reflecting the real ground realities and pointed out the need of strict regulation of the manpower agencies.
Dr. Dinesh Bhattarai (Vice Chairman GPKF) said late Girija Prasad Koirala duly recognized the strength of the youths and struggled for a full-fledged democracy so that later generations of youths need not fight for the same. “But the situation has been far from satisfactory as the politicians are not fully committed to democracy.”
Academician K D Mishra stressed on strict enforcement of existing laws and regulations to manage the foreign employment sector better and asked for a proper diagnosis of our youths exodus.
Hemanta Kharel said that foreign investors were withdrawing their investment and capital flight was on the rise due to growing political interference in the industrial sector and demanded that the industries should be freed from politics.
Sudharsan Subedi demanded for the closure of foreign employment as Nepalese were discriminated in terms of their salaries.
Laxmi Sharma and Tika Jung Thapa also put forth their views on the paper and the Foundation from the floor.
On this occasion, Chief Guest Ananda Prasad Dhungana released GP Koirala Foundation’s first Annual Publication 2012.