Deeper integration for peace, prosperity chosen as the theme for 18th SAARC Summit

Deeper integration for peace and prosperity was chosen as the theme for the upcoming 18th SAARC Summit to be held in Kathmandu on 30 October 2014. The Summit is scheduled to be held on 26-27 November 2014 in Nepal.

The theme was finalized on the basis of mutual talks held among the SAARC member states and suggestions given by an Advisory Committee.

The 17th SAARC Summit was held in Maldives under the theme of Building Bridges.

18th SAARC Summit
The 18th SAARC Summit will issue Kathmandu Declaration with a focus on collective co-existence, capacity, norms and values and people's aspirations by making mutual collaboration successful and strengthening mutual understating and relations.

The Nepal government has already sent a draft of the Kathmandu Declaration to the SAARC member states through the diplomatic channel. The proposed draft of the Declaration emphasized the need of curtailing cross-border crimes, terrorism, extremist activities and religious extremism, the major hurdles for peace, development, prosperity and democracy.

The draft has prioritized the control of unmanaged urbanization and minimization of environmental pollution, impact of climate change and natural disasters. Moreover, the draft has proposed to employ youths of the region tapping their creativity and to eradicate illiteracy by 2030.