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New Photo Album : MHA PUJA 2011

New Photo Album : 1st World Newah Convention

PRESS RELEASE
London - Nov 01, 2011
The First World Newah Convention concluded successfully on the 31st of October with a series of different programs and the London Declaration. The three day long convention, which started on 29th October, was jointly organized by World Newah Organization (WNO) and Pasa Puchah Guthi UK (PPGUK) in London. Newah delegates from the home country Nepal and other parts of the world participated in the event.

On 29th October 2011, the first day, the Chancellor of the Nepal Bhasa Academy and a culture expert of Nepal Dr. Satya Mohan Joshi inaugurated the convention by lighting the traditional sukunda. During the inaugural session, the chief guest Dr Satya Mohan Joshi, human rights activist Dr Padma Ratna Tuladhar, the key note speaker Prof. Manik Lal Shrestha, Charge de affair Nepalese Ambassador for the UK Mrs Ambika Manandhar Luintel, Head of Central Department of Nepalbhasha (Tribhuvan University) Prof. Prem Shanti Tuladhar, General Secretary of Nepa Rastriya Party, Dr. Bijaya Sainju, Dr. Mahesh Man Shrestha and Member of Parliament venerable Bhikkhu Ananda Path also expressed their views on Newar unity and challenges, and the need for preservation of Newar culture and tradition. The whole program was also telecasted live through WNO's official website worldnewah.org.

The second session started with a discussion on the WNO constitution prepared by the WNO constitutional committee. The question-answer session was chaired by Prof. Manik Lal Shrestha and Dr Bal Gopal Shrestha. During this session, the ad hoc committee was dissolved by Mr Daya Ratna Shakya and the participants unanimously selected Dr Bal Gopal Shrestha as the first president of the WNO. The first day was concluded with a dinner at Euston where participants had a chance to interact informally.

The second day of the convention saw the PPGUK president, Dr Sachetan Tuladhar, presenting the draft of the WNO London Declaration for discussion. A declaration adoption committee consisting of Dr. Bijaya Sainju, Mr. Daya Ratna Shakya, Dr. Mahesh Man Shrestha and Mr. Krishna Chakhu was formed to refine the London Declaration. The participants, including the guests Dr Satya Mohan Joshi, Dr Padma Ratna Tuladhar and Prof Manik Lal Shrestha, offered valuable feedback to the draft declaration which was further adopted by a committee. The attendants from Nepal also participated in the session over a tele-conference. The second session saw a Prajyan Sabha chaired by Dr Satya Mohan Joshi. The presenters of this session were Daya Shakya, Dr David Gellner (video recording), Bhikku Ananda Path, Dr Bijaya Sainju, Dr Bal Gopal Shrestha, Dr Mahesh Man Shrestha and Mr. Ram Kumar Shrestha. The following session was the Sahityik Sammelan chaired by Prof Manik Lal Shrestha in which Prof. Prem Shanti Tuladhar, Shrilaxmi Shrestha, Bimal Prabha Bajracharya, Ganesh Ram Lachhi presented their literary works. Shashi Mahaju, the editor of 'Matina' quarterly was felicitated by Dr Satya Mohan Joshi in this session.

The second day ended with the Mha Puja and Nepal Samvat 1132 celebrations at Hammersmith Town Hall organized by PPGUK. On behalf of PPGUK London, Dr. Sachetan Tuladhar welcomed all the participants and guests. Chief guest Dr Satya Mohan Joshi inaugurated the event. Dr Padma Ratna Tuladhar, Prof Manik Lal Shrestha, Mrs Ambika Luitel, and Prof. Prem Shanti Tuladhar all expressed their views. It was followed by a unique variety of cultural dances and songs followed by a traditional Newah Bhwoye (feast). PPGUK's annual souvenir magazine 'Guthi' was also released by chief guest Dr Joshi during the program.

On the third day, participants of the convention were taken to London on a study tour followed by a group dinner. After the conclusion of the convention, on the fourth day evening, all participants gathered for a large dinner at Slough. Here the much-awaited London Declaration was read to the guests by the former chairperson of the WNO ad hoc committee, Mr Daya Ratna Shakya. The participants welcomed the five-point declaration and expressed their own views. The WNO newsletter was also launched by the chief guest Dr Satya Mohan Joshi at the dinner.