Therapists, Educators, Ministers, Ambassadors at Nepal Congress
“Reinventing Education and Medicine based on Non-Violence”

Peace Times 15

from the left: Prof. P.R. Trivedi; Cristina Arismendy, UNFPA; Lama Gangchen; Prof. S.N. Prasad, IAEWP

by Isthar D.- Adler

The Lama Gangchen World Peace Foundation’s 4th International Congress on Alternative Medicines and Non-Formal  Education “How to Create Better Living for 2001”: Peace Education and Peace Environment through non-violence, in support of the United Nations and Unesco’s International Year of the Culture of Peace, opened with a formal dinner given to introduce the congress as well as to inaugurate the newly formed National Buddhist Federation of Nepal, which was officially inaugurated by the Rt. Hon. Dr Keshar Jung Raimaji, Chairman of the Royal Council Standing Committee and State Minister for Education. One hundred and sixty-five guests gathered, including Ministers, the Inspector General Achyut Krishna Kharel, Ambassadors, UN representatives, professors and doctors.

The three day event, which was attended by some three hundred participants from over 15 countries, was held at the Himalayan Healing Centre, Tinchuli, Boudhanath, from the 11th to the 13th of February. On Saturday the 12th, Hon. Govinda Bahadur Shah, State Minister for Information and Communication officially opened the medical section of the conference with the traditional lightening of the Lamp.

Mr Shah commended the work done by the Lama Gangchen World Peace Foundation who was “rendering great service to the course of humanity and world peace”. The conference focused upon promoting and supporting Himalayan healing methods as well as an exchange between Eastern and Western medical systems for spreading the valuable knowledge of natural medicines and renew global efforts towards a peace culture and a more sustainable and healthy inner and outer environment. “I deeply appreciate the work done by the Himalayan Healing Centre, serving the people by providing them with herbal medicines” said Mr Shah, before concluding his address. Former Ambassador to the United Nations, Jaya Raj Acharya said that the people had to change their attitude to overcome violence. “We tend to think that the universe belongs to us but in fact we belong to the universe” he concluded.

On Sunday, dedicated to Non-Formal Education, the conference was officially opened by the Rt. Hon. Dr Keshar Jung Raimaji. He said “Nepalese people are both poor and illiterate. We have to promote education to remove illiteracy. Education both formal and non-formal is the need of the hour”. A group of young children from Samling Montesori School brought songs to the conference and each received a book from the hands of Dr Raimaji, accompanied by a heartfelt kiss on the forehead, saying “children belong not only to their mothers, they belong to the nation too, and we need to give them love”.

Rt. Hon. Dr Ratna Kamal Vaidya, Member of the State Council brought congratulations on behalf the Council members; he said “this programme is working for the needs of people and it has been highly appreciated by all in Kathmandu”.

Dr Charles Mercieca, President, International Association of Educators for World Peace, Professor of Philosophy and History, Alabama University, USA, enlightened the audience on the different aspects of the culture of peace, stressing the importance of discovering what culture is all about as well as clearly understanding what peace is. He emphasised “peace is found in the heart of every human being... it is linked to the spiritual aspect of the individual and not to the physical sphere”. He added “Governments will become instruments of peace when they start viewing the whole world as a global family” and stressed that “education is the best and most effective tool to promote and implement a culture of peace”. The congress, held under the patronage of the Nepal Institute for United Nations & Unesco and Lions Clubs International-District 325, Nepal, received well wishes and messages for its success from Ambassadors and international organisations, as well as that of Rt. Hon. Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Prime Minister of Nepal, who expressed his sincere thanks to Lama Gangchen and the World Peace Foundation for having organised the conference and thus enable “growing support and promotion of alternative medicines and non-formal education, a system which, to the new generation especially, will be more useful to overcome the complexities of the present day world”.

He was echoed by Rt. Hon. Ram Krishna Tamrakar, Minister for Commerce who, in his message, said that “this conference can play a vital role in enriching the immensity of knowledge, people’s awareness and brotherhood”.

Before concluding the Congress with a United Nations Member States flag ceremony for world peace and a special dedication to the work of the United Nations and its agencies, a presentation was made of Lama Gangchen’s proposal for the creation of a permanent United Nations Spiritual Forum for World Peace, whereby all religous and spiritual denomination would have formal recognition at the United Nations as an important key to further the new Culture of Peace.