Nepal Conference Nepal – The Himalayan Hotspot. From Shangri-la to…? _______________ School of International and Public Affairs,Columbia University,March 22, 2006 Dag Hammarskjold Lounge (Room 1501) Sponsored by The Southern Asian Institute (SAI) With the assistance of,The South Asian Graduate Students Association,(SAGA) Nepal – The Himalayan Hotspot. From Shangri-la to…? 1:30 – 2:00: Registration 2:00 – 2:15: Welcome: Catherine Nepomnyashchy, Director of Harriman Institute, Columbia University, and Khagendra Gharti-Chhetry, Esq. Chhetry & Associates, P.C Introduction: Jenik Radon, Esq., Harriman Institute, Adj. Asst., Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), Columbia University 2:15 – 3:00: 1) Domestic and International Balance: Turmoil (Maoists) and in between China and India Moderator: Khagendra Gharti-Chhetry, Esq., Chhetry & Associates, P.C. Speakers: * Murari Raj Sharma, former Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Nepal to the United Nations * Dinesh Tripathi, Advocate at Nepal’s Supreme Court, Tripathi Law House, Kathmandu, Nepal 3:00 – 3:50: 2) A Governmental Structure for a Secure Future, Democracy and/or Royal Rule Moderator: Tara Niraula, Senior Research Scholar and Research Director at Teachers College, Columbia University Speakers: * Amy Cohen, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law, Ohio State University * H. E. Mr. Madhu Raman Acharya, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Nepal to the United Nations 3:50 – 4:00: Coffee/Refreshments 4:00 – 4:50: 3) Nepal’s Economic Place in the Sun: From Tourism to Hydropower Moderator: Leon Weil, Former US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Nepal Speakers: * Alok K. Bohara, Professor at the Department of Economics, University of New Mexico * Surendra Devkota, Visiting Professor at the School for International Training, World Learning, Brattleboro, Vermont 4:50 – 6:00: 4) A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow: How Do We Get There? Moderator: Shiva Gautam, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Director of Biostatistics, Harvard-Thorndike General Clinical Research Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School Speakers: * Smita Narula, Assistant Professor of Clinical Law, Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, New York University School of Law * Arzu Rana-Deuba, Executive Chairperson of Samanata Institute for Social and Gender Issues, Kathmandu, Nepal * Deepak Thapa, journalist and writer affiliated with the Center for International Conflict Resolution, Columbia University; recipient of The Asia Foundation's William P. Fuller Fellowship in Conflict Resolution * Sam Zarifi, Research Director, Asia Department, Human Rights Watch 6:00 – 6:30: 5) Keynote Address: Future Perspectives, Practical Steps Moderator: Jenik Radon, Esq., Harriman Institute, Adj. Asst. Professor at SIPA/Columbia University Speaker: Hon. Sher Bahadur Deuba, Nepal’s Prime Minister from 1995 to 1997, 2001 to 2002, and from June 2, 2004 until February 1, 2005, Kathmandu, Nepal 6:30: 6) Closing Remarks: Jenik Radon Esq., Harriman Institute, Adj. Asst. Professor at SIPA/Columbia University