Programming

Summer Research and Learning Fellowship

During our 6-week summer program, students will discuss transitional justice topics with Nepali victim leaders, visit sites of conflict and memory, meet with victims and survivors from Bardiya District, complete a memory mapping documentation project in collaboration with local victim leaders, and participate in community events in honor of the International Day of the Disappeared. Through direct engagement with victims and survivors in both learning and field work, students will leave with a deeper understanding of survivor-led change and the possibilities for truly victim-centric transitional justice.

Students

Six students will be joining the 2026 program. To hear their reflections, check out their blogs on our partner, The Advocacy Project's, website.

Leo Horton

Wesleyan University

Aayushma Rai

Wellesley College

Tomiris Otesh

Boston University

Hanshika Neupane

Tufts University

Joe Finkelstein

Wesleyan University

Chhime Namdol Sherpa

Geneva Academy

Thematic Sessions

Ten thematic sessions on topics related to Nepal's conflict, victim organizing, and transitional justice will be the focus of the educational component of the program. After an introductory unit on Nepal's conflict history and transitional justice, students will learn directly from victim and survivor advocates in Kathmandu and Bardiya, taking a deeper dive into:

Victim mobilisation and representation within the Nepali victim movement
Conflict-related sexual violence
The international victim movement - solidarity and coalition building
Child soldiers and the fight for recognition
Civilian conflict victims with disabilities
The Gen-Z uprising: Movement history and joint-advocacy with victims and survivors
Victim leadership and organizing at the local level
Survivor-led memorialization
Local government policy and programs: Collaboration with victim leaders
Reparation

Victim and Survivor Advocates

Several victim and survivors activists will join students for the thematic sessions to share their perspectives and experiences, including:

Ekraj Bhandari

Devi Khadka

Gita Rasaili

Lenin Bista

Suman Adhikari

Maina Karki

Surendra KC

Pratik Karki

Bhagiram Chaudhari

Niranjan Chaudhary

Kushma Chaudhari

Kanchan Chaudhari

Sushila Chaudhary

Academic Advisory Council

The curriculum on survivor-led transitional justice guiding our program was developed with the support of several international academics and activists as well as Nepali victim leaders. Our international advisory council members include: