World Newah Organization (WNO) celebrated its 10th anniversary with a virtual global conference titled ‘Global Newah: The Next Milestone’ on 30th and 31st of December 2020, which was participated by 180 guests online and also broadcasted on Nepalmandal TV. Hon’ble culture expert Dr. Satya Mohan Joshi opened the conference emphasizing the urgency to preserve Nepalbhasa and taking it to the international arena through translation to other languages including English.
Prof Dr. Gerard Toffin from France delivered the keynote lecture titled ‘The religious world of guthis. Three facts of Newar civilization, Nepal’, in which he explained about the cultural aspects of the Jyapu community and Hindu-Buddhist dance and musical traditions associated with them.
Chairing the opening session, WNO President Mr. Season Shrestha welcomed all 23 presenters of sessions including the participants. WNO Senior Vice-President Dr. Narayan Rajbhandari presented about the various projects and activities carried out by WNO in the last one decade since its establishment in 2011.
A total of 23 presenters from 13 different countries presented on education, language, culture, heritage, activism, culinary heritage and classical literature.
The conference was attended by noted researchers and literary figures, activists and conservationists for Nepal, including Mr. Malla K Sundar, Dr. Maheshman Shrestha, Mr. Naresh Bir Shakya, Mr. Rajbhai Jakami, Mr. Naresh Tamrakar and Mr. Alok Siddhi Tuladhar. The conference also attracted academic scholars, Newah community leaders and cultural activists from around the world.
The idea of this year’s conference started from ‘Thanan Gana?’ (Nepalbhasa for ‘what is the next milestone?’) and explored various topics that could define the journey for the next decade for the Newah community. President Shrestha concluded the opening session with felicitation of Founding Member Mr. Daya Ratna Shakya as the Patron of World Newah Organization.
On the first day of the conference, the first session on ‘Education’ was chaired by Dr. Uma Pradhan, a scholar from Oxford university in the UK. The session included a presentation by Nepalbhasha trainer from Nepal, Ms. Sunita Dangol on challenges of teaching Nepalbhasa to youths. While Ranjana script trainer Ms. Pranisha Shakya from the UK presented on challenges of teaching Ranjana Script in the UK, poet and scholar of children’s literature Ms. Yukta Bajracharya from Spain presented on bringing critical conversations on indigenous knowledge to children and youth.
The second session on ‘Language’ was chaired by Former WNO Vice-President Mr. Krishna Chakhun from the UK. In this session, LGBTI rights activist Ms. Rukshana Kapali from Nepal presented on people of marginalized sexual orientation, gender identity & sex characteristics in Nepalbhasa. While author Mr. Krishna Prakash Shrestha from Russia elaborated on the history of Nepalbhasha in Russia, the creator of Nepalbhasa.org Dr. Subhash Prajapati from USA explained the importance of digitizing Nepalbhasa as the next milestone to prevent and reverse language extinction.
The third and final session on ‘Culture’ was chaired by Nepalbhasa linguist and WNO Patron Mr. Daya Ratna Shakya from the USA. In the session, Asso. Prof Savitri Shrestha from Nepal presented on Pode community of Newars, and traditional Newar dance students Dr. Tina Ho and Dr. Eliza Lau presented from Hong Kong on liberation through traditional Newar dance. While Ms. Kuon Hunt from USA presented on Nritya Mandala Mahavihara, architect Dr. Punya Sagar Marahatta from Canada presented on Yala’s evolution through Kunu Sharma’s Kirtipataka, a classical text.
The first day concluded with the announcement of WNO Misa Kawa for women’s representation by WNO Vice-President Ms. Rajani Pradhan.
On the second day of the conference, the first session on ‘Heritage’ was chaired by Prof Dr. David N Gellner from Oxford university, UK. In this session, heritage advocate and legal practitioner Ms. Lisha Dangol from Nepal presented on global recognition of heritage sites. While art educator and activist Ms. Supriya Manandhar from Nepal furthered the new discourse on Solar Nepal Sambat, Former President of WNO Nepal chapter Mr. Pushkar Mathema presented on encroachment of place names in Kathmandu valley, and scholar from Estonia, Mr. Sobhit Shakya, presented on the key criticisms of Guthi.
The second session on ‘Activism’ was chaired by WNO joint-secretary and President of Newa Misa Dabu Ms. Rashmila Prajapati from Nepal. In this session, representatives of Save Nepa Valley Mr. Kripendra Amatya and Ms. Lumu Shrestha from Nepal presented on Newah movement and its struggle for legitimacy, while scholar Mr. Ras Joshi from Nepal presented on Prithvinarayan Shah and his influence on Newah social history. In the same session, patron of National Newah Khalah Israel Mr. Naresh Newa presented on Israel’s Newah community, and scholar Ms. Aju Shrestha from Netherlands presented on language politics.
The third session on ‘Culinary Heritage’ was chaired by Newah activist Ms. Medina Shakya Malla from the USA. In this session, Chef Bikram Vaidya from USA presented on Newah culinary heritage, while Newah food entrepreneur from Canada, Mr. Naresh Tamrakar, presented on promotion and preservation of Lakhamari.
The final session of the conference on ‘Classical Literature’ was chaired by scholar and Former WNO President Dr. Bal Gopal Shrestha from Netherlands. In this session, scholar from Belgium, Ms. Anahi Tisseghem presented on an illustrated Nepalese manuscript ‘Padasadhana’ from Copenhagen museum, and Ms. Amber Marie Moore-Pokhrel presented on current studies being carried out on Newar Buddhism, culture and language by her Department in Toronto University, Canada.
Concluding the two-day conference, WNO President Mr. Season Shrestha thanked all speakers, session chairs, audience and sponsors. The conference coordinated by Mr. Sanyukta Shrestha from the UK opened a discussion forum at the end of each day, with all speakers and audiences.
The conference was supported by emerging global brands like Season Enterprises, Makkuse, yantrakala, Himalayan Gifts & Candy, Air Zone Travel, Yeti Restaurant, 2pm Noodles, Nepali Product EU, Kansakar Fashion, US World Class Taekwondo Hollywood, Nepali Foods Toronto, Nritya Mandala Mahavihara, Bodhisattva Gallery and WNO Nepal chapter.
Video recording of the conference can be watched online at WNO’s official website – www.worldnewah.org
