Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal

Newsletter
of the Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal
December 2012
Dear Friends of the Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal, As we cross the ts and dot the is of this edition of the Newsletter, the country is hanging in a political limbo, waiting for its politicians to finally arrive at a consensus about the way forward. Those who see the glass half full will highlight the end of the integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants and the fact that six years have gone by since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord without a major flair-up of armed violence. Those who see the glass half empty will regret the demise of the Constituent Assembly at the end of May and the incapacity of the politics to focus meaningful attention on the socio-economic challenges of the country. In the end, we foreigners - or birds of passage as a prominent journalist called us - need to remember that Nepals peace process needs to find its own pace and address the conflicts root causes in order to be sustainable. Switzerland stands ready to support. In January, we are embarking upon the implementation of a new five year Cooperation Strategy with Nepal. The Swiss Programme will comprise two inter-related domains of intervention: One to contribute to developing an effective and inclusive Nepali Federal State based on Human Security and the Rule of Law principles, and the other to contribute to peoples increased well-being and resilience, especially of Disadvantaged Groups, living in rural and small urban centers. As an Embassy, we will place emphasis on the crisis preparedness of the Swiss Community, offering from the 28 January to the 8 February a series of courses in first aid and earth quake response. We also look forward to this years cultural events and to meeting the one or other of you at the occasion of events related to our many development projects. May this season be filled with joy for you and your loved ones, and may your New Year be peaceful and prosperous. Thomas Gass Ambassador Legal Aid to Improve Peoples Access to Criminal Defence Services The government of Switzerland has agreed to support women and men in prison who are unable to hire lawyers by providing access to good quality legal criminal defence services and thus ensure a fairer trial and better respect of their human rights. The project will also facilitate the capacity building of lawyers hired by the government and community/ NGOs. For this venture the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Nepal will partner with the International Legal Foundation, an INGO that assists post-conflict and transitional countries in establishing public defender systems that provide effective, quality criminal defense services to the poor. It is expected that around 1150 women and men in detention, and a total of 120 lawyers will benefit from this intervention.

Building a brighter future for disadvantaged children Bright Horizon Childrens Home, situated near the village of Matatirtha, an hour drive from Kathmandu, provides a safe and caring environment for disadvantaged children, where each child is encouraged to discover and develop his or her own talents. The school offers a broad general education starting at the kindergarten level up to class 10 and facilitates university entrance for capable and interested students. The school also offers vocational and pastoral guidance. This project is privately financed. The sponsorships and voluntary donations received from various individuals and organisations help to cover the day to day activities of the school, and extra facilities. In October this year, Ambassador Thomas Gass and Ms. Nathalie Gass were invited to visit the school where they interacted with the children and a delegation of sponsors on the occasion of the Schools annual sports day. The Embassy later hosted an apro in the Embassy courtyard for the schools management and sponsors. For more information, visit: www.bright-horizon.ch Jazzing up the Swiss way Since its establishment in August 2009, the Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal has had the opportunity to organize interesting musical events together with Swiss artists and musicians passing through Kathmandu. On 31 October, the Embassy hosted a live Jazz concert with Swiss Vocalist Beat Kstli and US Pianist Ben Stivers. The concert was a prelude to the 2012 Jazzmandu music festival - an international Jazz extravaganza that has been taking place in Nepal's capital, since 2002. Beat Kstli, quickly warmed up the cool October evening with his soothing voice and uplifting rhythm. He impressed the guests, including Nepals Swiss community, some renowned Nepalese personalities, Friends of Switzerland as well as diplomats and the Embassy staff, and filled the Embassy courtyard with the sound of his compositions influenced by RnB, Gospel and musicals all performed in his own style. Promoting space for development Ambassador of Switzerland to Nepal, Thomas Gass and UN Resident Coordinator Robert Piper held an interaction with the editors of leading national daily newspapers, magazines and online newspapers in Kathmandu on 22 November. The main objective of the meeting was to brief the editors about the Basic Operating Guidelines (BOGs) and the challenges for development space in the present political context as well as to the run up to the election for a new Constituent Assembly. This interaction provided a good platform to clarify issues raised by the editors related with development support provided by the signatories of BOGs. These signatories are United Nations UN, Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation SDC, Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA, Norwegian Agency, Embassy of Finland, European Commission, German Agency for International Cooperation GIZ, Department for International Development DFID, Canadian International Development Agency CIDA, Danish International Development Assistance DANIDA, Association of International NGOs in Nepal AIN, Australian Aid and Netherland Development Organisation SNV. For more and detailed information please visit: http://un.org.np/thematicareas/bogs

Children from the Home (www.bright-horizon.ch)

.Global flavours catered locally The Himalayan Times International Food Festival 2012 The fabulous picnic the Himalayan Times International Food Festival - organised for all the foodies, took place on 10th November this year at the Gokarna Forest Resort. Hundreds of visitors gathered at the venue enjoying the afternoon sun and the delicious food from nations around the world. Apart from mouth-watering goodies, live musical performances along with exciting game stalls kept the visitors engrossed. The Swiss booth, represented by the GATES College offered Swiss dishes like Zurich Geschnetzeltes, Roesti, Spaetzle, Swiss cheese platter, and delicious deserts such as Black or White Forest Cake, Swiss Truffle Cake and Chocolate Mud Cake. For pictures and videos from this event click: http://thehimalayantimes.com/featured/FoodFest2012/index.php

Swiss Booth (source: GATES College)

La maison des mdecins Lukla A newly constructed home for the doctors (La maison des mdecins) working at the Pasang Lhamu Nicole Niquille Hospital in Lukla was inaugurated in the presence of Ambassador Thomas Gass together with a delegation Roland Wettstein Foundation in Lukla on 16th of October. The Hospital situated in Lukla, gateway to Mount Everest, is in operation since 2005 and was entrusted with immunization against childhood related diseases, tuberculosis polio etc. It also provides services related to family planning, orthopedic and ophthalmic conditions, and regularly organises dental camps. The overall medical and administrative responsibility lies with the Nicole Niquille Foundation in Switzerland, which has locally partnered with Pasang Lhamu Mountaineering Foundation. Pasang Lhamu was the first Nepali women to summit the Mt Everest. Please visit the flowing site for more information: http://www.luklahospital.com/

Delegation together with H.E. Thomas Gass during the inauguration programme in Lukla (Source: http://www.luklahospital.com/

Genuine Swiss watches now available in Kathmandu If you are looking for a genuine Swiss watch in Nepal, you can find one now. Greenwich Time Zone recently opened its showroom of Swiss watches at KL Tower, Chabahil in Kathmandu and has on display various models of watches made by Swiss companies Claude Bernard and Jacques du Manoir. Swiss Ambassador to Nepal Thomas Gass, together with Claude Bernard representative Alain Borel and other personalities jointly inaugurated the showroom in October.

Source:www.goalnepal.com

Sustaining small scale irrigation The Nepalese economy is dominated by agriculture as the main source of food, income, and employment for the majority in the country. To increase agricultural production, the Nepalese Government promotes irrigation, the use of fertilizers and insecticides, the introduction of new implements, seeds of better adapted and high-yield varieties, and the provision of credit. A considerable gap exists in the provision of irrigation facilities in the hill areas, where only about 27% of irrigable land is irrigated. In rural areas, the prevailing socio-economic exclusion and inappropriate land use combined with discriminatory land tenant systems have a negative impact on the livelihood conditions of marginalized and small farmers. In order to address the increased pressure on rural livelihoods and some of the issues raised above, SDC and Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation have been implementing the Local Infrastructure for Livelihood Improvement project since 2006. The project aims at improving the food security of small and marginalized farmers in the rural areas (of Achham, Dailekh, Jajarkot, Kalikot, Dolakha, Ramechhap, Okhaldhunga and Khotang Districts) by supporting them to maintain and manage their irrigation system and also capacitating the local authorities and service providers to respond to the needs of these farmers.

Project supported irrigation systems

To take this initiative to a broader level of discussion, Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agricultural Road, organised a seminar in November 2012 entitled Small Irrigation: Experiences, Challenges, Opportunities and Pathways together with like minded partners and discussed steps forward to embark upon these issues.

Another motorable bridge in place The construction of a bridge over Ladku Khola in Kavre district has been completed with the technical support from the Swiss funded project District Roads Support Programme (DRSP) 1 2 through RRRSDP of DoLIDAR . The new bridge has added value to the newly constructed Khopasi-Taaldhunga road providing motorable access to around 300,000 people of the zone of influence and also others in Kavre district. DRSP, on behalf of SDC, has been providing technical advisory services to four RRRSDP districts (Kavre, Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha and Sindhuli) since October 2008.

The bridge was inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development, Mr. Narayan Kaji Shrestha on the 12th of November 2012.

Celebrating 5000+ and more Trail Bridges As a part of celebrating the construction of 5000+ trail bridges in Nepal, a photo exhibition was organized by DoLIDAR on 10th December 2012 at Kathmandu Durbar Square. The Exhibition was inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Narayan Kaji Shrestha. The Ambassador of Switzerland to Nepal and the Head of cooperation of SDC were also present at the occasion. Apart from stressing the importance of trail bridges in his address, Ambassador Gass also highlighted the visible changes these bridges have brought in lives and livelihoods of people living in remote rural areas, where walking remains one of major means of transit.

Exhibition of the model Trail Bridges and related photos

The photo exhibition continued for 3 days at Kathmandu Durbar Square, and was then taken to Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar Squares. The exhibition will also travel Biratnagar, Butwal and Dhangadi in the coming months.

1 2

Rural Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Sector Development Programme Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agricultural Roads

The Sari Soldiers International Human Rights Day is celebrated annually across the world on 10 December. The day is normally marked both by high-level political conferences and meetings and by cultural events and exhibitions dealing with human rights issues. This year the Swiss Embassy in Nepal participated by supporting the television broadcast of the Swiss supported film The Sari Soldier on the National Television Nepal Television (NTV) on the 8th and 10th of December. Nepal has a long way to go towards creating strong rules of law regarding human rights. As an emerging democracy it is important that the country establishes compliance and respect for international humanitarian law and human rights. The broadcast was followed by a half-and-hour panel discussion together with some characters featured in the film and human rights stakeholders. To know about the film please visit the official website at: http://www.sarisoldiers.com/the-film. DVDs of the film are also available locally for Nrs. 1200 (Please call Ms. Ramyata Limbu at 9851102756).

Weblinks
Embassy Kathmandu Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC Nepal http://www.swissworld.org

Contact
Embassy of Switzerland Jawalakhel, Ekanta Kuna P.O. Box 113 Kathmandu Nepal Tel: +977 1 554 92 25 Fax: +977 1 554 92 24 E-Mail: kat.vertretung@eda.admin.ch