The first Annual Kathmandu Conference on Nepal and the Himalaya is being organised in jointly by the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies, the Britain-Nepal Academic Council and Social Science Baha. The inaugural edition of the conference is being held at the Hotel Shanker, Lazimpat, Kathmandu from 18 to 22 July, 2012.

The 2012 conference is divided into three parts. The first three days, 18-20 July, 2012, will be devoted to Inequality and Affirmative Action: Situating Nepal in Global Debates. This part of the conference is by invitation only. BNAC members interested in attending this part of the conference are requested to write to conference@soscbaha.org.

For the fourth day, 21 July, 2012, eight parallel panels will be organised where researchers will present papers on various social science disciplines and topics. Participation in this part of the conference is by pre-registration only.

The fifth and last day of the conference, 22 July, 2012, will be devoted to a morning session that will consist of a policy dialogue entitled Health and Nature: A Policy Dialogue on Ayurveda and Medicinal Plant Conservation.

Full details on the conference can be found at http://soscbaha.org/about-conf.html.