Thame Village, Nepal (April 22, 2025) – Marking International Earth Day, a historic event titled “Summiteer’s Summit: A Dialogue for Climate Justice” was held in Thame Village, located at an altitude of 3,800 meters. The village, devastated by a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) on August 16, 2024, served as a poignant backdrop for this groundbreaking dialogue on climate resilience and justice.
Organized by the Sath Sathai Foundation in collaboration with the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality (KPLRM), the event brought together a distinguished panel of global and national leaders. Among the notable attendees were Her Excellency Asma Al Thani, Princess of Qatar; celebrated mountaineers Mingma David Sherpa and Temba Chiri Sherpa; global environmental advocate Charles Bedford; Nepal’s Honorable Minister of Defense, Man Bir Rai; and Honorable Minister of Forest and Environment, Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri.
The event was officially recognized as a pre-event of the Sagarmatha Sambaad, Nepal’s premier global dialogue on climate change and sustainable development. Adding to the program's gravitas was a goodwill letter from Nepal’s Right Honorable Prime Minister, endorsing the dialogue and emphasizing its importance for fostering climate justice at the grassroots level.
Thame Village, which endured severe destruction due to the GLOF, symbolized both the urgency of addressing climate risks and the resilience of communities. Discussions focused on innovative strategies for climate adaptation, global solidarity, and the importance of recognizing the disproportionate impact of climate change on mountain communities.
The program underscored the critical need for international collaboration and highlighted the voices of local residents, whose lived experiences provided powerful insights into the immediate impacts of climate disasters.
The Sath Sathai Foundation, supported by a team of dedicated individuals including Prajeeta Karki, BalKrishna Basnet, Badri Sigdel, Bijay Paudel, Temba Tsheri Sherpa, Saroj Ghimire, Shreejana Pokhrel Siwakoti, Subash Darnal, and Mingma David Sherpa, was praised for its efforts in organizing the event. Their work ensured that the dialogue resonated deeply with attendees and set a strong precedent for future initiatives.
As the world grapples with the escalating impacts of climate change, the success of the “Summiteer’s Summit” serves as a call to action for policymakers, activists, and global citizens to unite in pursuit of a sustainable and equitable future.
This historic event not only honored International Earth Day but also laid the groundwork for ongoing efforts to champion climate justice, particularly for vulnerable communities living in high-risk regions like the Himalayas.
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