Globalization and development within own culture

Globalization opens a country to foreign technology, capital, markets and ideas, which are valuable for a developing country like Nepal. But if foreign ways are copied blindly, local identity, language, traditions and confidence in one's own nation can weaken. Development should therefore be achieved by using global knowledge as a guide, but building on one's own culture and conditions.

How people can work for development within their own culture

1. Selective adoption. Take only the technology and ideas that suit local needs, resources and values, and reject what harms society or environment. Japan, South Korea and China modernised in this way.
2. Adapt the technology (appropriate technology). Modify foreign designs to local climate, materials, skills and income. Examples are micro-hydro, biogas, improved cooking stoves, and low-cost earthquake-resistant buildings.
3. Use local knowledge and materials. Traditional skills such as Newari brick and timber construction, community irrigation systems (farmer-managed irrigation), forest user groups and suspension bridges show that indigenous practice is effective. Study them scientifically and improve them.
4. Technology transfer with capacity building. In foreign-assisted projects, insist on training of Nepali engineers and technicians, joint ventures and local participation, so that knowledge stays in the country.
5. Education and research. Strengthen local universities and research on local problems. Teach in the local language and respect national history, so that young people have confidence.
6. Community participation. Involve local people in planning and in decisions, so that projects fit their culture and are owned by them.
7. Protect heritage and environment. Follow heritage conservation laws, environmental standards and local customs in construction projects.
8. Ethical and legal safeguards. Follow national laws, the Nepal Engineering Council code of conduct and fair contracts. Avoid corruption, and treat foreign advisers as partners.
9. Cross-cultural skills. Engineers should learn from foreign experts, but keep their own judgement: foreigners are guides, not masters.

Overall approach

Nepal should aim at "global in knowledge, local in roots": learn from the world, test it against local needs, and apply it with self-reliance and national pride. Countries such as Japan and Bhutan (which values Gross National Happiness) show that economic progress and cultural identity can go together.