Voices from Nepal: Climate Justice, Rebuilding, and the Power of Storytelling

Join the SAIS South Asia Society, International Development Club, and Energy & Environment Club for “Farmers of Blue Smoke: Poetry at the Crossroads of Development and Climate Justice,” a book launch and conversation with author and international development practitioner Homraj Acharya and Ambassador Scott H. DeLisi, former U.S. Ambassador to Nepal and Executive Director of Engage Nepal.

Drawing on Acharya’s ninth book, Farmers of Blue Smoke, the discussion will connect poetry with the lived experiences of communities in Nepal facing climate vulnerability, displacement, and the challenges of rebuilding after disaster. Our speakers will explore disaster risk reduction, the role of international assistance, and what recovery requires—from restoring agriculture and livelihoods to protecting access to education, housing, and health care.

The conversation will also examine how storytelling can serve as a tool for diplomacy and advocacy, bringing community perspectives into debates about development and climate justice. Students will have the opportunity to consider how scholarship, public engagement, and action from Washington, D.C., can support communities in Nepal.

Energy and Environment Club at SAIS | Website | View More Events
Co-hosted with: South Asia Society at SAIS, International Development Club at SAIS