ICIMOD pledges support to develop IMM as a research center
April 13, 2023

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) today pleaded support for developing the International Mountain Museum (IMM) as a research center for students. IMM is one of the major projects of NMA and has been established as a major tourism product of Pokhara.

  

In the meeting with NMA delegates including President Mr. Nima Nuru Sherpa, Advisor Dr. Ganesh Gurung, and Senior Vice-President Mr. Thakur Raj Pandey at ICIMOD's Living Mountain Lab (LML) in Godavari, ICIMOD shared their decision to develop IMM as a research center for students. 

 

‘‘ICIMOD team had multiple visits to IMM this year and we found flocks of students’’, Dr. Arun Bhakta Shrestha, Strategic Group 1 Lead-Reducing Climate and Environmental Risks, said, ‘‘Therefore, we have decided and planned to develop IMM as a research center. However, the ICIMOD will work on it step by step.’’ 


ICIMOD and Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) have a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a strategic partnership for five years. However, both organizations are awaiting to execute mutually endorsed planning under this MoU.

 

According to Dr. Shrestha, ICIMOD will work mostly on planning this year and will start implementing the planning in the coming years. However, under the strategic partnership, ICIMOD will collaborate with NMA to celebrate this year’s International Mountain Day and organize the 8th Mountain Festival in IMM premises, Rato Pairo, Pokhara.

 

NMA President Mr. Nima Nuru Sherpa and Director General of ICIMOD, Dr. Pema Gyamtsho expressed their interest in collaborating for preserving the mountain environment and livelihood of mountain people.

 

‘‘I have been in various mountain areas of Nepal recently. The scene has changed now. Centuries-used materials in construction are vanished and cemented houses are being built’’, Dr. Gyamtsho said, ‘‘This will not support our ecosystem and sustainable tourism. I would like to request NMA to work on such issues by selecting a new destination.’’

 

‘‘NMA has been collaborating with various rural municipalities for preserving mountain environments and promoting mountains of respective areas. We should also work for the sustainable livelihood of mountain people,’’ NMA President Sherpa said, ‘‘It would be really worth of collaborating for such issues.’’

 

The ICIMOD has been developing the LML as a research center installing and promoting centuries-practiced eco-friendly domestic technologies. NMA delegates also visited the LML. The head of the ICIMOD LML, Dr, Surendra Joshi briefed the NMA delegates regarding the LML with a PowerPoint presentation and LML Associate Mr. Yona Khaling Rai took the NMA team on the tour.

 

The NMA delegates include Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Mr. Jinesh Sindurakar, Executive Director (ED) of IMM, Ms. Nirmala Kumari Neupane and Communication Officer Mr. Dipendra Gurung. Prior to the meeting DG, Dr. Gyamtsho welcomed the NMA delegates with Khada and ICIMOD souvenir whereas program associate of ICIMOD Ms. Ashmita Shakya facilitated the event.

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  • Nepal Mountaineering Association NMA Partnership with ICIMOD