WordCamp Kathmandu 2026: The Complete Guideline to Speakers, Table Leads, Theme, and Event Schedule

Nepal’s information technology landscape is accelerating at a breakneck pace, and the open-source movement is right at the core of this transformation. Powering over 43% of the world wide web, WordPress continues to empower thousands of Nepali developers, engineers, agency founders, freelancers, and digital creators who compete on the global stage.

Bringing together this vibrant tech ecosystem under the theme “Where Ancient Culture Meets Open Source,” WordCamp Kathmandu 2026 will take place on September 18 and 19, 2026, at Alice Receptions in Gairidhara, Kathmandu. This year’s edition is a landmark gathering spotlighting Artificial Intelligence (AI), smart workflow automation, software security, and international digital entrepreneurship.

Quick Event Overview

Feature	Details
Event Dates	September 18 and 19, 2026 (Friday & Saturday)
Venue Location	Alice Receptions, Gairidhara, Kathmandu, Nepal
Conference Theme	Where Ancient Culture Meets Open Source
Official Mascot	Lakhepuu (The Cultural Lakhey Wapuu)
Day 1 Focus	Contributor Day: Hands-on Mentorship & 10 Contribution Tables
Day 2 Focus	Conference Day: AI Sessions, Keynotes, Workshops & Panel Tracks
Official Website	kathmandu.wordcamp.org/2026

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The Theme: Where Ancient Culture Meets Open Source

Kathmandu is a living museum of intricate pagoda architecture, Newari woodwork, and ancient stone inscriptions. By adopting the theme “Where Ancient Culture Meets Open Source,” WordCamp Kathmandu 2026 honors centuries of collaborative craftsmanship while celebrating the digital artisans building the modern web.

Just as ancient artisans shared techniques across generations to construct the historic temples of Kathmandu Valley, the open-source philosophy unites global developers to democratize web publishing, share code freely, and empower local communities.

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Meet Lakhepuu: The Official WordCamp Kathmandu 2026 Mascot

Every WordCamp around the globe brings its own personality to the official WordPress mascot, Wapuu. For WordCamp Kathmandu 2026, that identity is embodied by Lakhepuu, a creative fusion of the beloved WordPress Wapuu and Kathmandu’s legendary Lakhey.

In Newari folklore and Indra Jatra festivities, the masked Majipa Lakhey is revered as a fierce, benevolent guardian of the city and its people. Lakhepuu carries this playful, protective spirit, symbolizing resilience, community stewardship, and cultural pride in the global digital realm.

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Day 1: Contributor Day & Hands-On Open-Source Training (September 18)

Open source thrives on collaborative contribution. The first day of WordCamp Kathmandu 2026 is dedicated to Contributor Day, a full day of hands-on mentoring where developers, designers, writers, translators, and enthusiasts work side by side to improve the global WordPress ecosystem.

The 12 Contributor Day Table Leads & Focus Tables

Table Lead	Contribution Table	Focus & Scope
Alina Kakshapati & Uttkrista Chhetri	Photo Table	Curating and moderating open-license, high-quality photography for the WordPress Photo Directory.
Bijay Yadav	Themes Table	Block theme architecture, full-site editing standards, and repository review guidelines.
Madan G.C.	Patterns Table	Designing responsive, modern Block Patterns that streamline rapid site building.
Md Rafiqul Islam	Core Table	Triaging Trac tickets, debugging, testing patches, and writing code for the WordPress core codebase.
Nasim Miah	Training Table	Collaborating with Learn WordPress to create educational tutorials and courses for worldwide learners.
Nazmul Hasan Robin	Accessibility Table	Auditing web components, color contrast, and keyboard navigation to ensure web accessibility (a11y).
Pooja Derashri	Education Table	Bridging academia with open-source tech, introducing university students to professional software careers.
Rakesh Lawaju & Roshan Nagaju	Plugins Table	Plugin security standards, data sanitization protocols, and plugin directory submission checklists.
Ravi Khadka	Polyglots Table	Translating WordPress core, themes, and popular plugins into Nepali for digital localization.
Santosh Kunwar	FSE Table	Full Site Editing, theme.json configuration, and custom block-based site creation.

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Day 2: Main Conference, AI Masterclasses & Keynotes (September 19)

Day 2 features an intensive multi-track schedule designed to equip attendees with actionable knowledge. Seventeen vetted speakers from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and the Philippines will take the stage across key technical and business domains.

1. Artificial Intelligence & Development Workflows

• Abhishek Adhikari (Nepal): Prompt Smarter, Not Harder
  Crafting contextual prompts that transform generative AI into an efficient development partner.
• Diana Tupas (Philippines): AI Should Serve People: Here’s How to Make Sure It Does
  Ethical, human-centered AI design that elevates digital user experiences.
• Dinesh Bhattarai (Nepal): Trust, but Verify: Securing AI-Assisted Software Development
  Identifying vulnerabilities in LLM-generated code and implementing defensive security auditing.
• MD Saif Hassan (Bangladesh): AI as a Bicycle for the Mind
  Applying Steve Jobs’ famous analogy to human-centered AI as an amplifier of human capability.
• Swarnika Shakya (Nepal): My AI-Powered Development Workflow
  Real-world integration of AI tools to accelerate full-stack web engineering.

2. Business Growth, Freelancing & International Clients

• Ashutosh Gaur (India): My 3C Playbook for Turning Conversations Into Clients
  Actionable frameworks for agency owners to convert casual conversations into high-value client contracts.
• Suraj Bhattarai (Nepal): Ignored Insights in Digital Payments
  Technical insights into digital payments, payment gateways, and enterprise transaction scaling.

3. Open Source, Legal Licensing & Community Education

• Nisha Pariyar (Nepal): FOSS & Licensing: Everything Every Developer Should Know
  Understanding GPL compliance, intellectual property protection, and open-source legal responsibilities.
• Pooja Derashri (India): WordPress Education Programs: What They Are and How You Can Be Part of It
  Roadmaps for educational institutions to integrate open-source learning into university curriculums.
• Distinguished Industry Innovators: Keynotes by Chandan Goopta, Jagatjyoti G. Tuladhar, Jerico Adrian Aragon (Philippines), Madan Panthi, Pravash Karki, Shriram Lamichhane, Stuti Basnyet, and Sujan Shrestha exploring agency scaling, UI/UX architecture, and technical leadership.

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Global & National Sponsors Backing WordCamp Kathmandu 2026

An international conference of this scale is made possible through the generous support of leading multinational corporations and innovative local enterprises. Here is the complete list of all official sponsors backing WordCamp Kathmandu 2026:

Sponsorship Tier	Official Sponsors & Partners
Platinum Sponsors	Bluehost, Hosting.com, Jetpack, Woo
Academic Partner	Texas International College
Silver Sponsor	Yeti Code Crew
Before Party Sponsor	Online Khabar
After Party Sponsor	Village Highland Resort
Bronze Sponsors	Codewing Solutions, Digital Product Labs (DPL), Elementor
Micro Sponsors	Bosa Themes, Genius Designs, Gutenify, Inev Technology, Nepali Cloud
Official Media Partners	Dabali Khabar, ICT Samachar, SiteSaga

Spotlight on Key Sponsors & Ecosystem Contributors

• Platinum Tier (Bluehost, Hosting.com, Jetpack, Woo): Industry heavyweights providing foundational cloud hosting, e-commerce engines, and enterprise security tools that empower the global web economy.
• Academic Partner (Texas International College): Fostering tech talent by connecting students directly with multinational software careers and scholarships.
• Silver Sponsor (Yeti Code Crew): Driving forward quality web solutions, WordPress development, and active local tech community mentorship.
• Party Sponsors (Online Khabar & Village Highland Resort): Online Khabar sponsors the official Before Party to kick off early networking, while Village Highland Resort powers the official After Party celebration.
• Bronze Sponsors (Codewing Solutions, Digital Product Labs, Elementor): Leading software development companies and world-renowned page builder creators supporting grassroots tech innovation in Nepal.
• Micro Sponsors (Bosa Themes, Genius Designs, Gutenify, Inev Technology, Nepali Cloud): Dynamic WordPress theme authors, block pattern creators, cloud hosts, and creative agencies demonstrating the strength of Nepal’s homegrown IT ecosystem.
• Media Partners (Dabali Khabar, ICT Samachar, SiteSaga): Ensuring multi-channel journalistic coverage and in-depth tech media reporting.

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The Driving Force: Organizers & Community Volunteers

WordCamp is an entirely non-profit, community-driven event. The WordCamp Kathmandu 2026 organizing team has spent months managing logistics, reviewing applications, and coordinating operations:

Community Inclusivity: The Ujwal Thapa Memorial Scholarship

In honour of the late Ujwal Thapa, a visionary entrepreneur who helped pioneer Nepal’s WordPress movement, the scholarship provides subsidized tickets, travel grants, and mentorship to students and underprivileged attendees from outside Kathmandu, ensuring open-source tech opportunities remain accessible to all.

Practical Attendee Guideline: What You Need to Know

1. Bring Your Laptop: Especially for Day 1 (Contributor Day), bring your fully charged laptop and charger to participate in hands-on tables.
2. Direct Multinational Networking: Connect face-to-face with representatives from Bluehost, Jetpack, Woo, and international agencies for career and collaboration opportunities.
3. Business Cards & Digital Portfolio: Have your LinkedIn, GitHub, or portfolio website link ready to share with potential employers and clients.
4. Celebration & Community: Wrap up two days of intensive learning at the official WordCamp After-Party at Alice Receptions.

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Image Credits & Attribution

Visual Assets & Photo Credits: All official WordCamp logos, speaker portraits, table lead photographs, theme artwork, and Lakhepuu mascot illustrations are copyright © WordCamp Kathmandu 2026, WordPress Kathmandu Community, and the WordPress Foundation. Original Wapuu mascot concept designed by Kazuko Kaneuchi. Graphic collages and infographics compiled for journalistic and community guide coverage.