#WRC2019NEPAL - Day 1: November 12

#WRC2019NEPAL

550+ Participants

The raising of the International Ranger Federation flag this morning marked the start to #WRC2019Nepal, the largest congress ever and the first of its kind in Aisa.
© Ranjan Ramchandani

70+ different countries

From Slovenia to the Solomon Islands, participants represent a wide range of countries. 8 busses — each brimming with a mix of eager anticipation and travel-induced exhaustion rolled through Chitwan from Kathmandu on Monday. We're so pleased that the last bus arrived this morning!
© Ranjan Ramchandani

1 shared mission

Though their backgrounds may vary, participants are united by what they dedicate their lives to protect: Nature.
© Ranjan Ramchandani

OPENING CEREMONY

Elephant Hall was filled to maximum capacity as participants, media houses, and government officials came together to celebrate the start of a historic congress. Speakers included Sean Willmore, President of International Ranger Federation. Willmore called upon participants to bring the collective energy from the Ranger Family back to their homes for their colleagues to grow and learn from. Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Former Prime Minister of Nepal, also shared his views, focusing on the importance of Rangers in securing Nepal's environmental milestones.

SPECIAL GUESTS ARRIVE AT THE OPENING CEREMONY

SHORT STORY OF THE DAY

Gordon Miller (third to left) poses with other fellow-Congress frequenters. All six have been to all nine Congress' to date.

Gordon Miller : History within history

24 years ago, on a boat drifting in Loch Lomond, South Scotland, Gordon Miller and a few friends decided "it would be pretty neat" for rangers across the world to form a global network.
Having conducted ranger trainings in Europe for several years prior, he had already experienced how the idea of a “Ranger family” could transcend beyond geographical boundaries and languages. He went on to become IRF’s founder, organizing the first World Ranger Congress in history: a gathering in Poland of just about 125 people—with representation from Africa and Europe.
Today, he stood in line at registration for the 9^th World Ranger Congress— the largest Congress yet in Sauraha, Chitwan — with 550+ other participants.
“For me, I see this Congress as a big family reunion,” he said. “Ranger work can get isolating, so it’s like a battery recharge that rangers take back to their team.”
With over 40 years of ranger experience under his belt and with a mental list of all the people he hopes to catch up with these next five days, Miller said he couldn’t be happier about how large his family has grown.
“This is one big family—so as much as it grows, and really wherever it goes, it will remain connected.”

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