Dear delegate, colleagues & friends !

On behalf of Psychiatrists Association of Nepal, I welcome you all to the 14th SAARC international conference 2023 being held on November 7-8 .The venue for the conference is Kathmandu which is a beautiful city and the capital of Nepal.The theme of the conference exploring networking opportunities for mental health among SAARC Countries is quite relevent.

About 21 percent of the global population lives in the region of South Asia and approximately one-fifth of mentally ill patients in the world reside in this geographical area. Mental health is one of the most neglected areas of public health and the condition has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kathmandu, is the capital and most populous city of Nepal. It is located in the Kathmandu Valley, a large valley in the high plateaus in central Nepal, at an altitude of 1,400 meters .The city is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world, founded in the 2nd century AD. It has been home to the headquarters of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) since 1985. Today, Kathmandu has been for many years the centre of Nepal's history, art, culture, and economy. It has a multi-ethnic population within a Hindu and Buddhist majority. Religious and cultural festivities form a major part of the lives of people residing in Kathmandu. Tourism is an important part of the economy in the city. In 2013, Kathmandu was ranked third among the top ten upcoming travel destinations in the world by TripAdvisor, and ranked first in Asia. The city is considered the gateway to the Nepal Himalayas and is home to several World Heritage Sites: the DurbarSquare, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath and Pashupatinath. The indigenous Nepal Bhasa term for Kathmandu is Yen. The Nepali name Kathmandu comes from Kasthamandap.In Sanskrit, Kāṣṭha means "wood" and Maṇḍapa means "pavilion". This public pavilion, also known as Maru Satta in Newari, was rebuilt in 1596 by Biseth in the period of King Laxmi Narsingh Malla.

Tourism is a major source of income for most of the people in the city, with several hundred thousand visitors annually. Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world visit Kathmandu's religious sites such as Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Changunarayan and Budhanilkantha. The neighbourhood of Thamel is Kathmandu's primary "traveller's ghetto", packed with guest houses, restaurants, shops, and bookstores, catering to tourists. .With the opening of the tourist industry after the change in the political scenario of Nepal in 1950, the hotel industry drastically improved.

It is necessary to generate public awareness about the common occurrence of mental disorders, understanding of mental disorders as illnesses, treatment, and the importance of acceptance by the family and community.The coordinated efforts from all stakeholders are needed to address the growing concern of mental health crisis in SAARC countries. At a personal level, support from colleagues, friends, and family is essential considering the fact ‘there is no health without mental health’.

I am delighted to see the huge response from all the international and national delegates about participating in the conference. I am very much looking forward to welcoming you all and having brillant interaction in Kathmandu. Hope to see all at the conference.Thank you

Prof C P Sedain
President
Psychiatrist’s association of Nepal