LocationsRU Fest 2025: Rethinking Waste through Policy, Innovation, and Public Awareness
August 6, 2025
Team members from UNDP, KOICA, and Pokhara Metropolitan City inaugurating the RU Fest 2025
Pokhara stepped confidently into the green economy spotlight by hosting its first-ever Recycling and Upcycling (RU) Festival on August 1–2, 2025. Organized by Pokhara Metropolitan City with support from UNDP’s Green Job Creation through Recycling and Upcycling (GCRU) project—funded by KOICA—the event brought together policymakers, entrepreneurs, artists, and environmental advocates to explore how waste can fuel sustainable growth and inclusive employment.
Two students appreciate a sculpture created from recycled waste at the fest.
Creativity meets climate action
Renowned for its vibrant array of musical and cultural events, Pokhara added an eco-conscious perspective to its event calendar with the launch of RU Fest 2025. As Nepal Tourism Board Director Mani R. Lamichhane noted, the event positioned the city as a future hub for eco-tourism by blending sustainability with innovation, enterprise, and everyday life.
Youth at the fest learning more about RU enterprises and their products.
From live demonstrations to interactive exhibits, the two-day fest transformed Pokhara’s Mahendrapul Exhibition Ground into a hub of creativity and climate awareness. Over 27 exhibitors—including 11 local enterprises supported by GCRU—showcased upcycled products made from waste: tote bags from old denim, home goods from plastic, jewelry from electronic scraps, and more.
While panels covered critical themes such as climate action, green entrepreneurship, plastic reuse in infrastructure, and sustainable tourism, the festival also engaged children and youth through games and public art, building awareness across generations.
A panel discussion exploring sustainable tourism avenues organized as part of the RU Fest 2025.
A launchpad for green entrepreneurs
For many small enterprises, RU Fest proved to be more than just an exhibition—it was a genuine springboard for growth.
After receiving training from UNDP’s project, we felt confident—like we had learned everything we needed to start our business. But the RU Fest opened our eyes to what’s possible when you keep learning and improving. We were especially impressed by the quality of products from Hati Hati and Re-Kriti, and realized that continuous learning is key to long-term success.Lekhmaya Thapa Magar, Founder of Hamro Jeevan Saili
Lekhmaya Thapa Magar, the founder of Hamro Jeevan Saili, a recycling and upcycling enterprise supported by UNDP's GCRU project, displaying her products in a stall at the RU Fest 2025.
Sharing how the exposure quickly translated into results she said, “We’ve already received several orders for our tote bags—something that wouldn’t have happened without the platform RU Fest provided,” she added. Her story echoes a broader point made by Julien Chevillard, UNDP’s Deputy Resident Representative, who emphasized the importance of platforms like RU Fest in bridging the gap between innovation and market access—especially for early-stage green entrepreneurs.
Julien Chevillard, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Nepal address the 5,000 plus strong gathering at Day 1 of Pokhara's Recycling and Upcycling Festival.
Turning momentum into policy
The impact of RU Fest resonated at the policy level as well. In her first official visit to Pokhara in her current role, Minister Bhagawati Neupane of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA) called the festival a model worth replicating across Nepal. “This initiative blends environmental action with livelihood generation—two urgent priorities for our cities,” she noted.
Hon,ble Minister Bhagwati Neupane, Mayor Dhana Raj Acharya, UNDP Nepal Staff , and visitors at the Day 2 of RU Fest 2025.
Building on this momentum, the second day of the festival turned its focus to the broader policy and regulatory environment. Environmentalist Anil Chitrakar led a high-level discussion on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)—a key principle of the circular economy that encourages producers to take ownership of their products’ full lifecycle.
The session brought together industry leaders, government officials, and technical experts to explore how EPR and other circular economy mechanisms could be embedded into Nepal’s regulatory framework. The conversation echoed the Minister’s call for scalable, policy-driven models of sustainability, reinforcing RU Fest’s role as a catalyst for both innovation and systemic change.
Watch a video highlighting the event:
From festival to long-term transformation
RU Fest 2025 is part of a broader, long-term vision under UNDP’s Green Job Creation through Recycling and Upcycling (GCRU) project. At the heart of this strategy is the creation of Pokhara’s Green Venture Zone (GVZ)—a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to divert waste from landfills and channel it into green enterprise development.
Hon,ble Minister Bhagwati Neupane, MoFAGA, Nepal visits the stalls of recycling and upcycling enterprises supported by UNDP's GCRU project.
Pokhara’s Mayor, Dhan Raj Acharya, who inaugurated the festival, emphasized the transformative potential of the GVZ. “We aim to create 3,000 green jobs by the end of this project through the GVZ. This initiative is about building a green innovation ecosystem that benefits both our economy and our environment,” he said.
The festival also unveiled scalable technologies for: Recycled plastic wood substitutes, low-cost housing materials, and plastic-infused asphalt for roads. These innovations point to a future where urban waste is not discarded—but redesigned, repurposed, and reintegrated into local economies.
KOICA Nepal Director, Moheyon Kong at the opening ceremony of the RU Fest 2025.
KOICA Country Director Mooheon Kong praised the collaboration between Pokhara Metropolitan City, UNDP, and local communities, saying: “Recycling and upcycling are powerful tools for green job creation. Pokhara is showing how innovation, partnership, and local leadership can turn waste into opportunity.”
As Pokhara sets a national precedent, RU Fest 2025 reminds us that sustainability is no longer just a concept—it’s a movement in action. And with the right support, Nepal’s discarded materials may soon fuel its next wave of inclusive economic growth.
