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An annual Earthquake Safety Day in Nepal was established and held for the first time on 16 January 1999, the anniversary of the Great Bihar-Nepal Earthquake of 1934. The Earthquake Safety Day National Committee instituted by His Majesty's Government endorsed the Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Program (KVERMP) activities as part of the first Earthquake Safety Day. KVERMP is a part of ADPC's Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program (AUDMP) managed by National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET-Nepal) with assistance from GeoHazards International, a non-profit foundation based in Stanford, California.

First Earthquake Safety Day Procession	On this occasion the Prime Minister of Nepal released the Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Action Plan and the Earthquake Scenario of Kathmandu Valley, both produced under KVERMP. A large procession of school children, scouts, professors, bureaucrats, Nepal police, and native as well as foreign earthquake engineers, passed by a mostly unknown monument marking the 1934 Earthquake. NSET-Nepal organized an Earthquake Awareness Exhibition in cooperation with private, public and non-government sectors of Nepalese society. In addition, NSET-Nepal organized a number of interactive activities. These included discussions on radio and television, a technical seminar for professionals of the building industry, earthquake-theme essay writing and painting contests for school children, and a street performance depicting what to do in case of an earthquake, in cooperation with Lutheran World Federation of Nepal.
Shake testing of seismic strength of building models	The establishment of an annual Earthquake Safety Day in Nepal was a result of the joint efforts of NSET-Nepal, senior officials of His Majesty's Government, politicians and people from different sectors of Nepalese society. The Earthquake Safety Day activities had an overwhelming impact in raising awareness of seismic disaster risk among Kathmandu residents. Most impressive was the exhibition, which represented the efforts of the private, public, and non-government sectors of Nepalese society.
1934 Earthquake Monument in Kathmandu	At the inaugural ceremony the Prime Minister gave a particularly moving address, recounting his memory of the 1934 Earthquake, and suggesting new policies which the Nepalese government should undertake in order to reduce vulnerability to seismic hazards. Among these the Prime Minister mentioned increasing awareness of the people about earthquakes and enforcing construction rules at the municipal level so as to strengthen vulnerable buildings. In addition, the Minister for Science and Technology vowed to work towards implementing the Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Action Plan, and publicly recognized that "support from the non-governmental sector is vital." The Minister told Kathmandu residents that the ministry will work towards minimizing the magnitude of risk through preparedness, and in this light will celebrate Earthquake Safety Day for years to come. The President of NSET-Nepal Mr. Shiva bahadur Pradhanang says that establishing an Earthquake Safety Day would not have been possible without the support of the AUDMP programme managed by ADPC and funded by USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). Since ownership of the Earthquake Safety Day now lies within the Ministry of Scienceand Technology, NSET-Nepal and other organizations involved with seismic risk management in Kathmandu Valley can be assured that an annual tradition has been established.