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International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace
Mayors’ Leadership Conference Series Held in Nepal
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Kathmandu, Nepal—In October, UPF and the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP) in Nepal held a Mayors’ Leadership Conference in all seven of the country’s provinces, including two conferences in the largest province, Province 3, which includes the capital, Kathmandu. The theme of the conference was “The Role of the People’s Representatives in Realizing Peace and Sustainable Development.”
A total of 2,306 people participated in the conference series. While most of the attendees were mayors and deputy mayors, senators; current and former members of parliament; state ministers and governors; and local government officials also participated.
According to Nepal’s election law political parties that present candidates for both mayor and deputy mayor must include at least one woman candidate among the two. Additionally, Nepal’s constitution stipulates that 40.4 percent of all nominee seats be reserved for women. This means that women and men hold public office in every village, municipality and province in the country. While most deputy mayors are women, most mayors are men.
Dr. Robert S. Kittel, president of Youth and Students for Peace International, an affiliated organization, gave a presentation on the family. He emphasized that one of the primary jobs of the government, elected officials, is to safeguard the family.
At the conference in Pokhara city in Gandaki Pradesh province (formerly known as Province No. 4) on October 7, the chief guest, chief minister (equivalent to governor) of the province, Hon. Prithvi Subba Gurund, in his closing remarks, shared that he attended the inauguration of UPF in Nepal by the founders of UPF, Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, on November 22, 2005. He also expressed his gratitude that the family was given prominence in the conference. He concluded by saying this was one of the best programs he ever attended; that it was needed and is a valuable contribution to Nepal at this time.
The conference series program concluded on October 28, 2018 in Kathmandu with 216 attendees.
Speaking at the event were former prime minister, Hon. Madhav Kumar Nepal; Kathmandu city mayor, Mr. Bidya Sundar Shakya; UPF-Asia-Pacific chairman Dr. Chung Sik Yong; and co-chair of the IAPP-Asia-Pacific, Hon. Ek Nath Dhakal.
At the end of the conference, participants signed the declaration supporting the establishment of the International Mayors’ Association for Peace (IMAP). The IMAP will be inaugurated at the UPF Asia Pacific Summit 2018, which will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, from November 30 to December 3, and is being co-hosted by the government of Nepal.
This conference series program for mayors was held in preparation for the Asia Pacific Summit. The prime minister of Nepal, H.E. KP Sharma Oli, has written a letter personally inviting all newly elected officials to these programs.