On 2 April, representatives of 11 students organizations including the Maoist sister organization and of various students unions gathered in Kathmandu to discuss the role the student organizations in minimizing the risk of mines in Nepal. Victims from Ramechhap and Gulmi districts addressed the program, which reached the following concludions; "To minimze the risk of mines, students organizations need to play a vital role". Recommendations from the program included, among others: giving special Mine Risk Education (MRE) training to members of the student organizations' central committees; publishing and distributing MRE materials nationwide including through student networks, which should also be encouraged to find creative tools for MRE including drama, art etc; involving parents in MRE and including MRE in the school curriculum. The program also recommended advocating with the government to join the Mine Ban Treaty and with the Maoists to surrender their weapons as soon as possible. Advocacy activities should also focus on encouraging the creation of Joint (government and Maoist) Survey Teams to identify mined areas and carry out mapping and clearance. The new armed groups emerging in the Terai region should be closely monitored. And finally, victim assistance should be encouraged and improved, without any distinction between victims on the basis of caste or geographic location.