KATHMANDU, May 20: A high-level policy dialogue and workshop on strengthening Nepal’s engagement with its global diaspora was held at Stanford University in California, according to a press release issued by the Global Nepali Professional Network.
The event, organized by GNPN, featured a presentation by Khagendra Raj Dhakal, founder and chair of the Nepal Policy Institute, on the theme “A Roadmap for Strategic Diaspora Engagement: Building Knowledge Bridges for Nepal.”
The three-hour programme brought together Nepali-origin professionals, academics, researchers, entrepreneurs, technologists, students, journalists, and policy experts from across the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, focusing on how Nepal can move beyond a remittance-driven model and instead build structured engagement with diaspora knowledge, expertise, and networks.
According to the press release, discussions centered on the need to create institutional mechanisms that can convert global Nepali talent into long-term national capability, guided not only by policy priorities but also by a sense of national conscience and shared responsibility toward Nepal’s development.
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The programme opened with remarks by GNPN President Niley Shrestha, who highlighted the organization’s role in promoting professional collaboration and intellectual dialogue since 2006. The session was moderated by GNPN representative Nisha Thapa.
During the workshop, participants were divided into five thematic groups focusing on policy and governance, research and universities, innovation and entrepreneurship, youth leadership and mentorship, and digital and civic engagement.
Speaking at the programme, Dr. Dhakal said Nepal already has a deeply connected global community, but lacks structured systems capable of transforming diaspora goodwill into long-term national capability and institutional impact rooted in conscience-driven collaboration.
“The future of Nepal will not be shaped only within its borders. It will also be shaped by how effectively Nepal connects the intelligence, creativity, and commitment — as well as the conscience — of Nepali diaspora across the world,” he said.
Dr. Dhakal also shared findings from a preliminary diaspora engagement study conducted by NPI Fellow Liza Maharjan. According to the study, while many Nepalis living abroad are willing to contribute to Nepal, only around 20 percent reported being meaningfully engaged, while nearly 70 percent said they lacked clear pathways or institutional mechanisms to contribute.
The press release stated that participants emphasized the need for a more structured diaspora engagement policy framework and agreed that globally connected Nepalis should be viewed as strategic partners in Nepal’s development process.
The workshop concluded with a proposal to form a joint NPI–GNPN Policy Task Force to prepare a preliminary “Diaspora Knowledge Recapitalization Framework” and an operational roadmap aimed at fostering long-term collaboration between diaspora professionals, Nepal-based institutions, and government stakeholders.
According to Dr. Dhakal, the initial draft of the concept paper is expected within the next two weeks, after which the dialogue will expand to broader global Nepali professional networks.
The organizers described the initiative as a non-partisan policy dialogue and knowledge diplomacy effort intended to contribute constructive ideas toward Nepal’s evolving diaspora engagement policies.
