U.S. Ambassador Peter W. Bodde opened a workshop entitled, “Regional Cooperation in Seismology and Earthquake Engineering in South and Central Asia”, in Nagarkot.  The week-long conference is sponsored by the U.S. government along with Nepal’s Department of Mines and Geology and the National Society for Earthquake Technology Nepal.  Approximately sixty scientists from over fifteen countries are attending the workshop to share information on seismology and earthquake engineering.

At the opening ceremony, Ambassador Bodde highlighted the importance of improving regional cooperation and communication about earthquakes.  He said, “This workshop is a continuation of an outstanding twenty-year collaboration to reduce earthquake losses between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and close to forty countries throughout the world.  This effort is directed at improving our understanding of earthquakes, and to bettering the lives of those who live in seismically active environments.”