Khwopa College of Engineering recently hosted a national program, “A Decade of Rehabilitation: Reflecting on the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake,” organized by the Department of Archaeology with support from UNESCO, Bhaktapur Municipality, and various heritage and disaster management organizations. The event brought together experts, policymakers, and community leaders to evaluate Nepal’s recovery progress and future preparedness strategies. Five thematic sessions drove the discussions, beginning with Emergency Response and Coordination. Mr. Bhim Nepal, Mrs. Yamuna Maharjan, and Director General Mrs. Saubhagya Pradhananga analyzed challenges in immediate disaster management, sparking debates on institutional frameworks versus grassroots efforts. The Reconstruction and Rehabilitation session, led by Mr. Kai Weise with insights from Mrs. Rajani Joshi, Deputy Mayor of Bhaktapur Municipality, and Mrs. Shobha Maharjan, explored balancing modern engineering with traditional techniques, with calls for faster, community-inclusive heritage restoration. Community Resilience and Local Roles, facilitated by Mrs. Nipuna Shrestha, highlighted successes like the Degu Taleju and Kasthamandap projects, reinforcing the need for localized approaches and better funding for community responders. Dr. Kai Weise later discussed Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction, advocating for integrated disaster management with community inclusiveness during and after disaster, specifically in heritage conservation and preserving indigenous earthquake-resistant knowledge. At the same time, Mr. Bhaskar Gyawali shared lessons from Rescue Archaeology, emphasizing pre-disaster digital documentation of heritage sites. In between the sessions, the participants highlighted the issues during heritage conservation, reconstruction-related issues, and disaster management.

The discussion emphasized the need for clear laws, guidelines, and coordination mechanisms among stakeholders during pre-disaster, disaster response, and post-disaster recovery phases. Community participation must be ensured in all aspects of heritage use, construction, and reconstruction, while past reconstruction efforts should be critically reviewed to guide future actions. The Department of Archaeology and other stakeholders should oversee proper documentation, designs, and approvals for heritage restoration. Clear building codes and standards for traditional construction must be developed through research before implementation. Disaster preparedness should also address multiple cascading and secondary risks, such as fires after earthquakes. The Nepal Army and Police should conduct coordinated and regular disaster training, while consumer committees must ensure quality construction and avoid weak contract-based work. Current procurement laws hinder quality heritage rebuilding, and communities sometimes use inappropriate materials (e.g., cement and steel in traditional structures) when reconstructing heritage on their own. Overall, the focus is on better policies, community involvement, and quality control in heritage and disaster management.

The event concluded with Dr. Kai Weise summarizing key action points: stronger inter-agency coordination, community-led rehabilitation, and investment in pre-disaster training. 

Principal Er. Sunil Duwal underscored the importance of merging disaster preparedness with heritage conservation. He asked all the stakeholders for an initiative to develop a Nepal-specific masonry construction code, blending traditional and modern safety standards to ease legal hurdles for people using traditional construction technology. “Our research and engineering teams at Khwopa Engineering College and Khwopa College of Engineering have collaborated nationally and internationally to establish practical, locally relevant materials for traditional construction.”  He emphasized that the colleges could initiate research related to developing a national code for standards, ensuring the safety and sustainability of new and historic masonry structures. He asked the government and other stakeholders to provide the opportunity to the colleges for this effort.

In his closing remarks, the principal sincerely thanked all national and international agencies for their invaluable support during and after the 2015 Gorkha earthquake. “We deeply appreciate your trust in choosing Khwopa College of Engineering as the venue for this significant program and your unwavering support during Nepal’s most challenging period,” he stated.

The Director General of the Department of Archaeology closed the program, reaffirming Nepal’s commitment to resilience and highlighting the key works done by the Department of Archaeology after the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake.

The Third Annual Meeting of the International Scientific Committee Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Property followed the program on 26^th April 2025.