Laureates and Leaders for Children regretfully confirms that its Fourth Global Summit, scheduled for 11-12 March, will no longer be held in Lumbini Province, Nepal. This is due to the current political turmoil in Nepal. In order to ensure that the vital work of Laureates and Leaders for Children continues, a smaller gathering of Nobel Laureates and global leaders will instead be held in Delhi, India, on 11th March 2024.

 

Laureates and Leaders for Children was committed to bringing its eminent guests and internationally renowned Summit to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, at a time when children are being forced to endure the worst impacts of new and entrenched conflict and rising multidimensional poverty. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, this has not been possible.

 

In addition to the political situation, it has come to our attention that several items of misinformation have been released from various sources, and as part of our commitment to transparency, we would like to address these.

 

• Laureates and Leaders for Children is an independent movement, and the Fourth Global Summit was a Laureates and Leaders for Children event. It was not an event of the Government of Lumbini Province or the Government of Nepal. We were invited to hold the event in Lumbini by the provincial government, and this invitation was supported by the Government of Nepal.

• The event dates were set for 11-12 March from the beginning; there was no intention to ever hold the event on 10 March.

• The Dalai Lama was never invited to the event.

 

Laureates and Leaders for Children was never contacted by any media source to clarify any of these points, and we find it regrettable that misinformation regarding these points has been spread.

 

The scourges of exploitation and violence against children are still blighting childhoods across the world, and an increasing number of children are suffering the impacts of conflict and climate disaster, and are being forced out of education and into work to survive. Laureates and Leaders for Children remains committed to ending these injustices, once and for all.

 

Laureates and Leaders for Children would like to express our gratitude to the Government of Lumbini Province for its work to bring the Summit to Nepal. We would also like to thank the many, many organisations and individuals who have given their time and efforts to the planning of the Summit - from our designers and printers, to our venues and hotels, to our equipment and service providers. In particular, we give our thanks to the Lumbini Development Trust, which has worked incredibly hard over the past year to support the Summit.

 

Above all, we would like to thank our long-time partners and friends at BASE Nepal for their unwavering support and absolute commitment and dedication to realising our shared belief in the rights of every child to enjoy a free, safe, and healthy childhood.

 

Despite the current political situation, Laureates and Leaders for Children believes the world has much to learn from Nepal, a country which has endured conflict and repeated climate disasters, but which remains committed to its children. We stand side by side with our Nepali sisters and brothers on the path to a democratic and peaceful society.

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