The 2025 edition of NGS focuses on “Doing Development Differently,” emphasizing the strategic mobilization of four core resources—People, Money, Data, and Technology—as foundational pillars for building stronger institutions and accelerating Nepal’s journey toward a self-reliant and enterprising nation. Through keynote plenaries and policy studios, the symposium explores how capable leadership, sustainable financing, integrated data systems, and pragmatic digital reforms can deliver meaningful and lasting development outcomes, while challenging conventional development approaches and encouraging collective action.

The 2024 edition of NGS focused on “Strengthening Subnational Governance for Inclusive Economic Development,” bringing together government representatives, local government leaders, the private sector, civil society, academia, and development partners on 19–20 December 2024 in Kathmandu. Organized by Governance Lab at Daayitwa Abhiyaan in collaboration with Nepal Administrative Staff College, the symposium explored how stronger subnational governance can support inclusive and sustainable economic development in Nepal’s federal context. With participation from key government institutions and representatives of local governments, NGS 2024 provided a platform for sharing experiences, strengthening coordination, and identifying practical approaches to improve subnational governance. Discussions centered on enhancing coordination across federal, provincial, and local governments, strengthening the capacity of subnational institutions, and promoting economic governance that supports inclusive and sustainable development.

The 2023 edition of NGS focused on “Governance Innovations for Inclusive Development,” bringing together around 352 participants from government, media, the private sector, civil society, academia, and development organizations on 12–13 December 2023 in Kathmandu. Building on the previous edition’s focus on innovation, the symposium placed inclusion at the center of discussions, exploring how governance can better respond to the needs of youth, marginalized communities, and women while strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration. Across six sessions, participants examined the social, political, and economic dimensions of inclusion, including evidence-based policymaking, climate governance, and migrant returnee reintegration. With participation from key government institutions and local governance representatives, the symposium provided a platform to recognize innovative practices, connect learning with national policy, and foster collaboration among governance stakeholders working toward more inclusive development in Nepal.

The 2022 edition of NGS focused on “Promoting Innovation in Local Governance for Inclusive Economic Development of Nepal,” exploring how innovation, collaboration, and learning can strengthen governance in Nepal’s federal context. The symposium brought together 12 municipalities from six provinces to share local governance innovations, challenges, and opportunities, while national stakeholders discussed how to institutionalize and scale these learnings. Across two days, keynote sessions, case sessions, governance dialogues, and knowledge seminars explored themes including multi-stakeholder management, public-private partnerships, green and inclusive development, inclusive policymaking, citizen engagement, gender-sensitive institutions, and local economic governance. Held on 13–14 October 2022 in Kathmandu, the symposium brought together over 250 participants and created a politically unbiased platform for learning, collaboration, and collective action.