Russian Center of Science & Culture Nepal # Newsletter

Issue # 1 January 2008

Russian Center of Science & Culture # e-Journal:

First of all I hearty wish all the viewers and friends of our Centre a very Happy New Year 2008.
With a view to provide information about the events that comprises seminars, conferences on social issues on Russia-Nepal and international affairs, literary and cultural activities, film festivals, painting competitions etc, it is my great pleasure to announce that the Russian Center of Science and Culture, with the arrival of New Year 2008, is launching an e-Newsletter which carries information of the above events and activities on monthly basis.
I also hope, this will certainly help Center's efforts to disseminate the information and events to the website visitors throughout the world. Finally I would like to congratulate the Editorial Team of this e-Newsletter and wish them all the best.

At a Seminar on "Human Rights –a Global Concern" organized at Russian Center of Science and Culture on Dec 6th 2007, Human rights activists and advocates said that a nation should cultivate a culture of accountability to end the state of impunity and ensure rule of law to secure human rights and establish culture of peace for its people.
They said as long as a nation lacked an accountable and transparent government, human rights for the people could not be fully guaranteed. They stated the task of building new Nepal could not be realised if there is a cultural of impunity and non-accountability in the country. Speaking at the programme, Chairman of Nepal Bar Association Bishwo Kanta Mainali said the government has remained silent despite abductions and disappearance of the people every day and added that future of Nepal would be more violent if the government failed to address the rights of people.
Former speaker Daman Nath Dhunganna said the government should be serious on how to implement all the declarations in practice and the government should be accountable on providing rights to the people. He warned that the achievement gained through the people's movement would fade away if they could not pay attention in realising the aspirations of the people. Advocate Dinesh Tripathi said there should be a regional commission for human rights at the SAARC level to monitor and secure the human rights of the people He said the establishment of transitional justice mechanism and rule of law in our country is very to cope with the existing violation of human rights in the country.
Tripathi said human rights must be the central theme of the upcoming Constituent Assembly and it is vital for the government to democratize the Nepalese military to facilitate the process of building new Nepal. Deputy Director of Russian Center of Science and Culture Rajiv Dawadi said peace and development would not be possible unless rights of people are guaranteed. More >>

Russian Center of Science and Culture and Russia Nepal Friendship Association jointly organized a talk programme “Constitution, Parliamentary, Democracy and Development in Russia” on the occasion of Constitution Day of Russia on Tuesday. Politicians, intellectuals, former ambassadors like former Minister Nilambar Acharya, former ambassador to France Keshav Raj Jha, professor Ramesh Kumar Shrestha, former ambassador to Russia Hiranya Lal Shrestha were the speakers of the talk program, Chairman of Nepal Russia Friendship Association Bagwan Ratna Tuladhar presented a paper on the past present history of Russian constitution and government.
The program was started with the welcome speech of Director of Russian Center of Science and Culture Sergey F. Kiselev. He highlighted on the past political history of Russia, present Russian parliament and importance of constitution for the overall development of the country. He said following the Russian parliament adoption of 1993 December 12, the new constitution of Russia guaranteed the liberty of human rights of the Russian people. He gave warm wishes for Nepal in holding Constitutional Assembly Election as earliest as soon so that the country would lead to the prosperous and development with peace and harmony.
Former Minister Nilambar Acharya said Russia, had helped lot in modernizing Nepal by providing Scholarship in different technical and medical education to the students of Nepal. Relating the Russian politics to Nepal, he said all the political parties with the consensus from everyone should stop the trend of amending constitution very now and them to ensure the stability of the government. “The Nepalese people should tap the unrealized potential by realizing its potential,” he said. Former Ambassador to France Mr Keshav Raj Jha said the constitution of Russia is the best democratic constitution, which can be taken as an example for the peace, progress and stability of any nation.
Presenting a paper Bhawan Ratan Tuladhar give the basic information to constitutional evolution in Russia, 1993 constitutional declares in Russia and the executive structure of Russia. Former Ambassador to Russia Hirnanya Lal Shrestha said Nepal should follow the constitutional process like Russia to have economic, cultural and democratic process. More >>

A commemoration programme was organized jointly by Russian Center of

Science and Culture and Hotel Association Nepal on 21st December 2007, to remember the late Boris Lissanevitch and his contribution in Nepal. Hotel entrepreneurs and people presented in the programme remembered him as the founder of the chimney restaurant, Calcutta’s club 300 in India and a father of Nepal tourism.
The then monarch was so impressed with Borish that king Tribhuwan invited him in his son Mahendra's weeding. They recalled Boris as a torch bearer in the Nepalese tourism who brought tourists and established hotels at a time when the country was virtually isolate from all over the world. President of Hotel Association Nepal, Prakash Shrestha said late Borish was the first hotel entrepreneur who laid the foundation by establishing Royal Hotel in Nepal. He said Borish created Himalayan Aviation, the first airlines to fly to Nepal, Cathay Pacific and drove overland from England to Nepal.
Director of Russian Center of Science and Culture Sergey F. Kiselev said Borish first visited Nepal with the invitation of late king Tribhuwan but he helped Tribhuwan when he was in exile life in India. It is said Borish helped king Tribhuwan by providing political books in brining political revolution in Nepal. Rumors have it that Boris helped during the fall of the Ranas. He said Borish requested World Bank to provide first international loan in the development of tourism and industry of Nepal. Following the visit to Nepal, he spent his rest of his life in promoting Nepal. His last rite was performed in the symmetry of British embassy as per his wish. Russian writer victor said many foreign writers have written the books on the contribution made by Borish in p

romoting Nepal. Borish contributions have been immense in the growth of tourism in Nepal and can rightly be called “Father of Tourism in Nepal”.
He said whether Borish was a diplomatic emissary or played a hand in restoring the Shah dynasty is not certain but his role as the father of tourism in Nepal is undoubtedly deserved. Former Chairman of Hotel Association Nepal Pravakar Shumser Rana said he recognised Nepal as a best tourist destination and established Royal Hotel. By then number of tourist and dignitaries started visiting Nepal. More >>

A four day long film festival starting from December 18 to 21 that was

organized on the occasion of the Year of Child-2007 and on the Eve of the Year of Family 2008 in Russia at Russian Center of Science and Culture received an overwhelmed response from school going children's.
Apart from children the festivals also draw the huge attention of people from various walks of life. More than 1000 students from different schools of the valley witness the films screened at the Cultural Center. The huge participation in the festival has encouraged the Cultural Center to screen such movie related to children time and often. The objective of film festival was to introduce Russian culture, language and tradition to children's through the medium of entertainment.
The festival also aimed to build a strong bilateral friendly relationship between Nepalese and Russian children. A total of seven movies were screened during the festival based on children fairy tales. More >>

Russian Center of Science & Culture Post Box No. 1433 Kathmandu, Nepal www.russiancultureinnepal.org		Issue # 1 January 2008