(Kathmandu, Nepal) Former Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal Hon’ble Bimalendra Nidhi has been invited to be a Speaker at the World Forum 4.0 (https://worldforum40.org/e2021/ ) to be held on October 20-21, 2021.

The Hon’ble President of 2021 World Forum 4.0 is Dr Leonel Fernández Reyna, former President of the Dominican Republic who has been instrumental to advocate the need to facilitate access to technology for all developing countries in order to address various challenges concomitant with new age technology and Industrial Revolution 4.0.

President Dr. Leonel Fernandez Reyna is among the foremost leaders and global thinkers from Latin America who had observed- “Our understanding of reality must adequately grow in depth and scope; the need for collaboration and exchange of ideas and experiences is ever greater, and the search for effective solutions is more urgent. The pace of the 21st century has accelerated challenges; global interconnection and interdependence have created more complexity while the rapidity of change has raised expectations.”

As the world slowly recuperates from the shadows of COVID-19, digital platforms and technology will play a crucial role in the post-pandemic economic recovery and securing the UN SDGs especially in the context of developing countries.

Bimalendra Nidhi will be sharing the platform with other global leaders, government ministers, political leaders, business leaders and CEOs who shall speak about the transformation processes of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

World Forum 4.0 will have a central forum and eight thematic forums, Government, Technology and Solutions, Law and Regulations, Women, Marketing and Communication, Society and Free forum. Because of COVID-19, the World Forum 4.0 this year will be on a virtual mode.

Organised by the International Federation of Multimedia Associations, Social International University and Global Foundation for Democracy and Development, the World Forum 4.0 is also supported by UNCTAD, UNOSSC, UNITAR, UNIDA etc.

Bimalendra Nidhi received the invitation to participate in the World Forum 4.0 from Ms. Edna Dos Santos-Duisenberg, coordinator and Mr. Emilio D. Salomón, Executive Director.

The credentials of Mr. Bimalendra Nidhi for the World Forum 4.0 were recommended by Mr. Manish Uprety F.R.A.S., Advisor for Asia and Africa of Asociación Latinoamericana de Comunicación Audiovisual Parlamentaria, ALCAP, the Latin American Parliamentary Association of Audio-Visual Communication.

Fourth Industrial Revolution is an emerging trend which should be a focus area for the Global South. The importance of South-South and triangular cooperation through the exchange of knowledge, best practices and capacity-building and the transfer of technology on mutually agreed terms, to respond to the intensifying challenges of securing the UN SDGs is a theme gaining importance.

As Nepal joins the global Industrial Revolution 4.0., the debate about adaptation of technological changes and advancements concomitant with it discovers the main challenge for policymakers and academics is the dearth of relevant literature, studies and up to date data from the field in the context of developing countries. The issue gains much more importance for the post-COVID scenario.

However, a wonderful study titled “A Review on Potentiality of Industry 4.0 in Nepal: Does the Pandemic Play Catalyst Role?” by Sharad Rajbhandari, Ghanashyam Khanal, Seeprata Parajuli, and Dipendra Karki recently  published by QUEST deals with the issue at length in very comprehensive and lucid terms, and provides a detailed perspective on the industrial readiness for IR 4.0 in Nepal.

The participation of Bimalendra Nidhi in the the World Forum 4.0 is a wonderful opportunity Nepal to showcase and share the perspective of Nepal from the grassroots so that peoples can participate, societies can benefit and nations especially the Developing countries can secure the UN SDGs by being a part of the Industrial Revolution 4.0.