Creator's Mela: Learning to create

The US Embassy in Kathmandu organized a two-day gathering of some of Nepal’s innovative digital media producers, social media influencers, and consumers called ‘Creator’s Mela: Empower, Innovate, Inspire’. Held at the Aloft Hotel in Thamel from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on June 16-17, the event featured 17 lectures and interactive sessions, as well as vendor displays, The Creator’s Mela acted as a forum for aspiring creators to learn how to develop compelling audio and visual content including podcasts, animations, vlogs, and to create their own online brands.

Attendees got to learn about the necessary business and technical skills for a successful online career. There were special sessions that focused on ways creators could use social media for effective public advocacy and on the roles of women in digital spaces.  “Creativity is historically intrinsic to Nepal and its clear youth are wanting to get involved in tech and the digital space where there are so many opportunities,” said Garrett Wilkerson, US Embassy public affairs officer. He added the event was first of its-kind, the one designed to “sharpen the skills of digital creators and influencers” to launch and grow their online presence, businesses, and careers. With this event, the embassy’s goal was to emphasize that the digital space, be it podcasting, being a social media influencer or a content creator, is a great way for advocacy, democratic action, and to build platforms and career opportunities for underrepresented minorities.