Kathmandu: Amb. Dr. Sarmila Parajuli Dhakal, President of the Ambassadors Club Nepal, International Relations and Global Diplomacy Dialogue (IRGDD), and The Ambassadors Club Nepal welcomed Mr. Vahagn Afyan, Non-Resident Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Nepal, at the Ambassadors Club Nepal office in Bishalnagar, Kathmandu on May 22.
Speaking on the occasion, Amb. Dr. Sarmila said the meeting was held to celebrate friendship and goodwill and to extend warmest hospitality to colleagues from the Republic of Armenia.
Amb. Dr. Sarmila shared her delight over formal opening of the Honorary Consulate of Armenia in Nepal on May 21. “This is a significant milestone in Nepal- Armenia diplomatic relations in three decades,” she said.
She extended warmest greetings and deepest respects to Ambassador Mr. Vahagn Afyan on behalf of the Ambassadors Club Nepal, the International Relations and Global Diplomacy Dialogue (IRGDD), The Diplomat Nepal, and the Diplomatic Academy Nepal (DAN).
While mentioning the completion of first anniversary of Ambassadors Club Nepal on May 18, Dr. Sarmila said, “Over the past one year, we have dedicated ourselves to bridging worlds, and today, we continue this journey with even greater enthusiasm, deeper passion, and a steadfast commitment to strengthening dialogue and collaboration at both national and international levels.”
Ambassadors Club Nepal serves as a vital anchor for the diplomatic fraternity, working tirelessly to promote friendship, mutual goodwill, and active international engagement among Ambassadors, Heads of Missions, and International Organisations. IRGDD acts as intellectual engine, encouraging dialogue, Track 1.5 and Track 2 diplomacy, policy exchange, and global understanding on contemporary issues. And The Diplomat Nepal, Nepal’s first diplomatic magazine, aims to bring diplomacy closer to society by fostering meaningful conversations, greater understanding of international affairs, and contributing to the enhancement of Nepal’s soft power through diplomatic, cultural, and global engagement.
The Diplomatic Academy Nepal (DAN), has been established to advance informed diplomacy, non-partisan diplomatic education, and professional training, operating under our Diplo-Tech framework as a forward-looking, inclusive platform designed to foster cross-cultural understanding, research, and professional excellence, backed by technology and innovation rooted in Nepal’s unique geographical setting.
Amb. Dr. Sarmila shared that Nepal understands the world as one family. “Long before the language of diplomacy was codified into treaties, our civilisation was guided by the timeless idea of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, the world is one family. It is a philosophy that dissolves the very idea of the stranger altogether,” she said. “Your Excellency, you are not a guest in a foreign land today. You are among family. And it is in that same spirit of warmth, openness, and shared humanity that the Ambassadors Club Nepal opens its doors to you as a genuine expression of the values that Nepal has carried in its heart for centuries,” she said to Ambassador Mr. Vahagn Afyan.
Stating that Nepal and Armenia share a remarkable constellation of common bonds, she said the two countries are ancient civilisations. “Nepal is the birthplace of Lord Buddha and the sacred land of countless traditions and Armenia is one of the world’s oldest Christian nations with a heritage of culture, resilience, and identity that spans millennia,” she said. “Both are landlocked nations, shaped profoundly by our geography, yet never defined or limited by it. Both understand the deep importance of civilisation, sovereignty, and peaceful coexistence. These shared values create a strong and natural foundation for continued cooperation, friendship, and understanding between our peoples,” she further said.
She said the establishment of the Honorary Consulate of Armenia in Kathmandu will create an open door, through which trade, culture, scholarship, and friendship between the two countries can pass freely.
Armenian Ambassador Vahagn Afyan said opening of the honorary consulate in Kathmandu will be remarkable for Nepal-Armenia relationship. He also asked Amb. Dr. Sarmila and Ambassadors Club Nepal to be more engaged with honorary consulate and honorary consuls of Armenia to enhance Nepal-Armenia relations.
Amb. Dr. Sarmila conferred ‘Honorary Member of Ambassadors Club Nepal’ to Ambassador Vahagn Afyan and presented him a cup emblazoned with Ambassadors Club Nepal logo as a token of love.
