In his talk, Ivan Somlai will note some complexities, frustrations, and epiphanies arising from work with donor and host governments as he experienced them in development initiatives in Nepal since 1976. Beginning with his current IDRC-supported “Forest & Wildfire Management Project”, he will also draw on examples –as time permits—from other projects, to illustrate trends, collaboration, competition and politics in diverse sectors such as engineering, health, extractives, tourism as well as the persistent earthquake-related issues which are in the limelight two years after the catastrophic event. Some aspects of the 10-year insurgency may also warrant brief discussion.
About the Speaker: Ivan Somlai is the Director of ETHNOBUREAUCRATICA and an Associate at the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives at the University of Victoria. He has been involved with multi-sectoral development projects globally for over 30 years. Ivan has served on National Disaster Committees in Nepaland Pakistan; and as Programme Committee Member and Faculty of McGill University’s and HumanitarianU’s Disaster & Humanitarian Response Training programme. Ivan’s insights to multiethnic, religious and culturally diverse environments contribute to his passion as an international development professional.
RSVP
This event is sponsored by the Himalaya Program and Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs Program (MPPGA).
