Conference Focus and Objectives

North America - home to the numerous world class universities and advanced research institutions - has been the dream destination for scholars, scientists and innovators from all over the world. Nepalis started to come to the North American universities during the sixties and seventies for higher education, and subsequently many permanently settled here. Many Nepalis of subsequent generations have followed similar tracks in various scientific, technological, medical and social science fields, often excelling in professional and academic pursuits. In addition, several Nepalis in North America have begun to embrace entrepreneurial and business endeavors, realizing that in a market economy business is an even better route to achieve economic independence. As a result, the North American Nepali Diaspora can boast of many members who have achieved success in professions, academia and businesses.

To best utilize the strength of the Diaspora in the region , the conference focuses on knowledge and skill exchange, collective investments, and charitable contributions for a prosperous Nepal. NRNA believes that such efforts are key to help Nepalachieve multidimensional development goals including in economy, science, and technology. Accordingly, the theme of the conference is:

"Channeling Knowledge and Investments for Nepal’s Rapid Development"

Diversified sessions will revolve around the conference theme of mobilizing knowledge and investments for a prosperous Nepal. The conference sessions will address critical topics such as, foreign investment, knowledge exchange, and charity. It will specially emphasize how to increase the participation of youth and women in the Diaspora to support NRNA’s initiatives in Nepal’s development.

Objective

The following are the objectives of the conference:

- Provide a forum for the North American Diaspora to present and discuss the specific issues and challenges faced by them;
- Explore how the Diaspora can contribute in improving access to higher
education in Nepal especially in rural areas;
- Discuss an action plan to make NRNA sustainable;
- Suggest concrete policy and action measures to the Government of Nepal and other stakeholders;
- Devise specific suggestions for channeling skill, knowledge, innovation and technology (SKIT), as well as financial investments and charitable contributions to support Nepal’s development efforts; and
- Create ways to mobilize the passion and power of women, youth and other groups in the Nepali Diaspora to solidly support the NRNA initiatives in Nepal.