Kathmandu (The Kathmandu Post/ANN) - The 2012 annual meeting of Asia News Network (ANN), hosted by The Kathmandu Post, kicked off in the Capital on Thursday.
The two-day programme, which will focus on "Himalayan System in a Changing Climate Future and Media's Role¿, was inaugurated by President Ram Baran Yadav.
Inaugurating the event, the president said lack of economic growth has close links with the challenges posed by climate change in the Himalayan nations. "We are passing through momentous changes in our continent for the past decade or more, heading towards prosperity, innovation and development, after centuries of colonialism, feudalism and underdevelopment,¿ said Yadav.
"The humanity is facing the common problem of climate change and media has crucial role in creating awareness and find a solution to this pressing issue,¿ Yadav said.
Kailash Sirohiya, chairman and managing director of Kantipur Publications, said Kantipur daily and The Kathmandu Post are crossing the teenage period and entering the 20th year of successful publication and the ANN meeting has marked the beginning of the week-long celebrations of this milestone.
"All these years, Kantipur has stood up as a pillar of democracy, which was yet again manifested in 2006 People's Movement, when Nepali people called us the Eighth Party regarding us fondly as a democratic force fighting against the autocratic king alongside the Seven Party Alliance,¿ he said, adding that Kantipur was indeed an integral part of the mass movement.
Paul Linnarz, director media programme Asia at Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF), said climate change, water and food supply, the future of the Himalayan glaciers, use of natural resources, deforestation, air and water pollution affect social and economic development even of smallest villages and each family. "And, there is no better place to talk about these issues than Nepal.¿
He also lauded The Kathmandu Post's coverage on environmental issues and the special 'Development' page published each Tuesday. The KAF has been supporting the ANN.
Twenty editors-in-chief, or their representatives, from 18 countries in the Asian region have been attending the programme. ANN, which has 21 members, including The Kathmandu Post, is a network of national daily newspapers published.jpg from Asian cities.
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