Kathmandu, March 30
The Nepal International Running Conference will be organized in Kathmandu on June 6 in Kathmandu.
This conference is being held in collaboration with the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), the global body for marathons.
“This conference will serve as a platform to gather the running community from Asian countries in Nepal, to share experiences and learn from one another,” said TS Thakuri, founder of the Nepalgunj Marathon and AIMS ambassador for Nepal. “We expect this conference to contribute significantly to the development of running in Nepal as well as the overall development of Nepali sports. It is likely the first such conference in South Asia.”
While running events of this nature have been held in other Asian countries, this is the first time such an initiative is being started in Nepal this year. The Asia Road Race Forum is held annually in Thailand. Following the concept of rotating locations each year, the event has been previously hosted in Vietnam, Singapore, and Indonesia under the Mass Participation World (MPW) program.
The Nepal Running Race and Nepalgunj Marathon are organizing this international running conference.
Thakuri mentioned that the conference will coincide with the AIMS board meeting, marking the beginning of the event in Nepal. A main organizing committee will be formed, comprising key running event organizers from Nepal, individuals and organizations involved in the development of athletics, as well as leaders from the fields of education, sports, tourism, and social and economic sectors. These members will also be actively involved in the conference.
The conference will feature four sessions related to education, sports, and tourism. The first session will include a special interview with Pako Boraro, the president of AIMS, who is also the race director of the world-renowned Valencia Marathon. Additionally, leading figures from prestigious marathons will give expert talks on topics such as Marathon as a social movement and phenomenon, Sports and tourism: Opening the doors to economic and cultural opportunities, and Running for a sustainable future: Promoting health, education, climate action, and global unity.
Each session will have four speakers—two international and two Nepali—as well as one facilitator. The final list of speakers and facilitators will be announced soon. To ensure the smooth and productive execution of the AIMS board meeting and other events, a core organizing committee will be formed with prominent marathon organizers from Nepal. The conference is expected to see participation from representatives from over two dozen countries, including Europe, the Americas, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, and South Asian nations.
