Kathmandu, July 3: A cartoon exhibition titled ‘Disaster Risk Reduction Exhibition’ began in a collaborative effort between the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and the Nepal Cartoonist Club here on Tuesday.

The exhibition is organised by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. 

The cartoon exhibition was jointly inaugurated by Lalkaji Lama, Vice Chancellor of NAFA, along with Anil Pokharel, Executive Head of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, Dr. Bhishma Kumar Bhusal, Head of Disaster and Conflict Management Division at the Ministry of Home Affairs, and Komal Prasad Dhamala, Joint Secretary of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

Vice-Chancellor Lama emphasised the importance of connecting societal topics with transformation through visual arts, particularly in spreading the message of disaster reduction to grassroots levels.

 Anil Pokharel noted the exhibition’s effectiveness in highlighting disaster risks through art.

 Joint Secretary Bhishma Kumar Bhusal remarked on the power of cartoons and pictures to convey messages more effectively than lengthy texts and stressed the importance of imparting knowledge through these mediums.

Devendra Kumar Kafle ‘Thumkeli’, member secretary of NAFA, highlighted the role of artists in raising awareness about disaster minimisation through their works. 

 Basu Kshitiz, a member of the Academy’s Academic Council and President of the Cartoonist Club of Nepal, expressed his happiness in collaborating on the significant event.

 Other attendees included academic council members Palsangmo Lama, Pradeep Adhikari, Sauraganga Darshandhari, Dineshwar Mahato, Aruna Hingmang, Jupiter Pradhan, and others.

 The exhibition featured works by artists Avin Shrestha, Akrin, Basu Kshitiz, Devendra Thumkeli, Keshav Raj Khanal, Mahesh Bastakoti, Ravi Mishra, Rabindra Manandhar, Bhanu Bhattarai, Sanuraj Dangol, Sujita Maharjan, Palpasa Dangol, Arpita Shakya, Sudarshan Sigdel, Saurganga Darshandhari, Bishwa Thapa, Sagar Shah, Ayush, Pan Singh, Gaurav Dangol and others.

 The artworks addressed themes related to climate change, floods, landslides, fires, droughts, and heat. The exhibition will be showcased till July 9 at NAFA.