Mass Governor Charlie Baker welcomed Ambassador Karki of Nepal to discuss earthquake relief and reconstruction on Monday.

During his meeting with the  Ambassador Arjun Karki expressed by thanking people for their sympathy and empathy and for supporting his country as it begins the long recovery from last month’s devastating earthquake that killed over 8500 people and injuring over 20,000. Nepal — which boasts eight of the world's highest mountains — gets about half a million tourists every year, with many coming to trek the Himalayan nation's scenic mountain trails. The recent earthquakes have raised fears that tourists will be driven away from Nepal, a poor country where many people depend on tourism for their livelihood.

Earlier in the morning the Ambassador along with Consul General Pralhad KC and Amit Dixit from South Asian Arts Council (SAAC)  met up with Boston City Counselor Michelle Wu and her staff, to discuss and understand as to how the city could help. Students and faculty of Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, Tufts Medical and MIT also met and showed their support and solidarity.

In the evening South Asian Arts Council in collaboration with the Next Mile project  had hosted a reception where senior leaders from the Boston Community and head of diplomatic missions and other diplomats  attended the reception. Rajat Bhatnagar, Director, Intergovernmental Relations, SAAC said “Hosting this event is also a part of our expanded mission to bring diverse communities and cultures together through an appreciation of the heritage of South Asia, we have created a series of collaborative programs, In addition to bringing together audiences of various backgrounds and interests to encourage intercultural dialogue, and also help each other and stand in times of distress.”