The first day of the Kathmandu Tiger Workshop got off to a fun start with a burst of energy from Nepal’s youth. Junior high students from 30 of Nepal’s schools rallied and marched through the center of town carrying banners and signs of support for conservation and habitat protection. Hundreds of students along with some government officials carrying signs and wearing tiger outfits at the break of day. The Minister of Forests and Soil Conservation of Nepal, Deepak Bohara, spoke to the crowd, thanking and encouraging the students to be active, as it will soon be up to them to take responsibility for Nepal’s natural resource problems, and they will determine the country’s future.

The procession was led by an elephant (see photos) and ‘little tigers,’ children riding the elephant wearing festive tiger costumes. Early morning rush hour traffic honked and yelled in support.

At midday back at the Soaltee Hotel (venue for the conference), the Prime Minister of
Nepal Madhav Kumar Nepal and numerous dignataries opened the Inaugural Session with passionate speeches of hope and determination to make the tiger workshop a success and to step up awareness on tiger conservation issues.

The session featured traditional Nepali dance and music, a video message from President of the World Bank Robert Zoellick, and speeches from other key players.

The tiger range country delegations then presented on the national plans for conservation in their respective countries.

A film crew shooting a documentary on illegal wildlife trafficking for National Geographic arrived and set up shop and began interviewing some of the major figures attending the workshop. An ambience-filled courtyard dinner was held at the Soaltee, where delegates could be seen in small groups holding animated discussions about what can be accomplished here, against the rhythmic background of Nepali music.