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There’s a popular ‘21/90 rule’, which states that it takes 21 days to create a habit and 90 days to create a lifestyle. Once a habit forms, it normally stays throughout life.

One such habit that should be introduced during a child’s formative years, preferably in kindergarten days, is the habit of reading. Reading books, newspapers, etc should be made fun and invigorating thereby triggering curiosity. To make it a habit, it must be routine and engaging. Children should be encouraged to explore genres that pique their interest. In the process, they should also try to grasp knowledge on other subjects that could aid in forming a well-rounded personality. Gifting books to celebrate achievement has been known to spur children to do even better in their vocations and also inculcate a zeal to read. Savvy use of technology e.g. audiobooks has been found helpful to goad reluctant readers.

Since the end of Cold War I and emergence of a liberal international order, the extent of globalization has profoundly impacted culture and universalized the education system. Nepal is one of the few countries that has been unable to foster its culture or internationalize its education system due to a massive influence of international culture and education. 

While Tribhuvan University, Nepal’s oldest varsity, has adopted a new procedure for choosing officials, it should next build a reliable transnational network and internationalize Nepali education to advance national interests and project soft power for executing public diplomacy, fostering good neighborliness and advancing national interests. A strong education system and a justifiable cultural exchange program help countries understand each other better. Essentially, a high-quality national education system not only boosts productivity but also broadens the spectrum of soft power in foreign policy, leaving a much stronger impression of the country in international platforms.

Over the past few years, China has achieved political, economic and diplomatic feats. No apparent observation, perhaps, can emasculate China’s global march—it is rising so gracefully, smoothly and enormously. China is most likely to grow from being a superpower to a mega-power. But in the evolving international system, it is anticipated to play rational, responsible and equable roles.

The most sensible foreign policy course of action for Nepal at this point of unparalleled rise of its immediate neighbor would be to strategically align with it by building mutual trust, while maintaining a delicate balance with another neighbor. Nonetheless, Nepal ought to maintain a pragmatic economic and security framework through increased mutual trust, strategic partnerships and technological cooperation with both the neighbors. Nepal’s economic, developmental and security architecture, despite many geopolitical challenges, should be guided by a sensible geopolitical assessment and wider techno-economic cooperation with immediate neighbors and other powers.

International order is feeling the collective heat of the intensifying Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas conflict and a massive weaponization of technology. Unlike the politico-polarity of the past, techno-polarity is now shaping the international order, while the US and China are navigating the tech and AI world order.

Given a sensitive geo-location, highly susceptible digital space and impact of AI on the world order, Nepal should recognize the gravity of the geopolitical competition between high-tech superpowers—the US and China, or China and India—and implement a logical strategy to maintain balanced relations with all of them.

Nepal must be ready to deal with the fallout of a possible occupation of Taiwan, which might put the country in the middle of a ‘crossfire’ between China and the US and directly affect its security and sovereignty. If unable to tenaciously maintain the geopolitical balance between the rival superpowers, Nepal will suffer on multiple fronts.