18-20th November 2026, Kathmandu, Nepal
5th International Orchid Symposium
Symposium Mission
Orchids, with their amazing beauty, medicinal properties and ecological value, face significant risks due to habitat loss and illegal collection because of high demand in the pharmaceutical and horticultural industries. Climate change has adversely impacted on their habitat and their population. Bringing together academicians, researchers, growers, and enthusiasts can foster a collaborative approach for their conservation, community based cultivation and sustainable, value- added utilization.
Symposium Scientific Committee
Chair
Prof. Dr. Bijaya Pant, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
​
Members
Dr. Mukti Ram Paudel, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Dr. Margherita Beruto, ISHS Division Ornamental Plants, Italy
Dr. Mary Ellen Gerritsen, Orchid Conservation Alliance, USA
Dr. Teresita D. Amore, University of Hawaii, Hawaii, USA
Mr. Thomas J. Mirenda, American Orchid Society, USA
Prof. Dr. Sreeramanan Subramaniam, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia
Prof. Dr. Kanchit Thammasiri, Tropical Botanical Garden, China
Dr. Bhakta Bahadur Raskoti, Nature Research and Conservation, Initiative, Nepal
Dr. Umed Kumar Pun Sherpunja, Nepal
Dr. Pusp Raj Joshi, Annapurna Research Center, Nepal
Dr. Manu Pant, Graphic Era University, India​
​
Keynote Speaker
Prof. Dr. Yao-Chien Alex Chang, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
​
Prof. Dr. Kanchit Thammasiri, China
Mrs. Wenqing Perner, China
Dr. Umed Kumar Pun Sherpunja, Nepal
Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Rai, Nepal
Prof. Dr. Suresh Kumar Ghimire, Nepal
Symposium Thematic Area
-
Systematics and Evolution
-
Ecology and Population Dynamics/ Pollination
-
Medicinal Orchids & Traditional Knowledge
-
Cultivation and Post-harvest Technology
-
Biotechnology, Breeding and Development
-
Conservation and Trade
-
Mycorrhiza
-
Orchid Industry
Conference Location
Symposium Registration Fee
Note: Registration fee includes 3 lunches, 1 dinner, tea/coffee, symposium entrance, symposium kit, e-Acta (electronic copy of Acta Horticulture symposium proceedings), and 1 day tour for sight seeing (Chandragirihill). $ 100 will be extra charged for staying in Chandragiri hill resort
Request for Sponsorship
We kindly invite your organization to support the 5th International Orchid Symposium, a high-impact global forum bringing together scientists, conservationists, industry leaders, and artists to advance orchid research, conservation, and sustainable utilization. Your sponsorship will directly enable knowledge exchange, capacity building, and international collaboration, while offering your brand strategic visibility among a specialized and influential audience. We look forward to partnering with you to make this symposium a landmark success.
Important dates
Abstract submission start: 30, March 2025
Abstract submission deadline: 30, March 2026
Revised abstract submission deadline: 31, May 2026
Full paper submission start: 30, March 2025
Full paper submission deadline: 30, June 2026
Revised full paper submission deadline: 31, August 2026
Payment Details
Account name: Annapurna Research Center
A/C No.: 0010052533200018
Bank name: NMB Bank Ltd.
Bank address: Babarmahal, Kathmandu
SWIFT code: NMBBNPKA
Organizer
Annapurna Research Center​
International Society for Horticultural Science
Co-Organizer
National Trust for Nature Conservation
Nepal Horticulture Society
Orchids Site Seeing Tour ​
Pre Conference-tour
Dates & Prices
Date: November 9-17, 2026
Deposit: August 1, 2026
Final Payments Due: September 1, 2026
Prices: $2150 pp, double occupancy. Single: $2650
Price includes: Hotels, meals, ground transportation, driver, guides, entrances to parks, historic sites and reserves, one way economy airfare from Pokhara to Kathmandu.
Post Conference-tour
Date: November 22-25, 2026
Deposit: August 1, 2026
​
Final Payments Due: September 1, 2026
Prices: $1200 pp (double occupancy), $1400 pp (single)
​
Price includes: Hotels, meals, ground transportation, driver, guides, entrances to parks, park guides, round trip economy airfare from Kathmandu to Chitwan.
Art Workshop and Exhibition on Orchids
Step into a high-impact convergence of art, science, and nature. The Art Workshop and Exhibition on Orchids is a curated experience where visual artists, botanists, photographers, designers, and nature enthusiasts collaborate to reinterpret orchids through contemporary artistic lenses.
​
This immersive program features hands-on workshops, live demonstrations, and a gallery-style exhibition showcasing orchid-inspired paintings, illustrations, botanical art, photography, mixed media, and installations. Expect cross-disciplinary storytelling where biodiversity meets creativity, and conservation meets aesthetics.
​
Whether you’re an artist seeking fresh inspiration, a researcher passionate about plant diversity, or a visitor drawn to beauty with purpose, this event offers a rare platform to engage, create, and connect while celebrating Nepal’s extraordinary orchid heritage.
