 | ||
December 2017 |
Nepal Mountaineering Association |
Issue-138 |
|
|
General Assembly of IFMGA, 28 Nov – 1 Dec 2017 The General Assembly (GA) of International Federation of Mountain Guide Association (IFMGA) was organized in Kathmandu from 28 Nov -1 Dec 2017. There were 65 representatives from 25 member federations in the GA. The IFMGA is an international association of mountain guide associations from all over the world. They represent all mountain guides of their country, which are qualified according to the IFMGA guidelines. The IFMGA, founded in 1965 by guides from Austria, France, Switzerland and Italy, is currently a body of mountain guide associations from more than 20 countries in Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania, representing a total of almost 6000 guides. Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA) represents Nepal in IFMGA headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) entered in agreement with Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA) in 2005 to conduct Aspirant Guide Course and Mountain Guide Course in Nepal; hence, we have already produced 50 Mountain Guides and 20 Aspirant Guides. In the special program organized on 30 Dec, NMA President expressed satisfaction over the achievement of the joint effort of NMA and NNMGA to develop mountain profession as safe and secured profession. He also shared that NMA started giving mountaineering training from 1979 in different categories and till date, 2187 mountaineers have been trained with mountaineering skill. In this context, NMA has partnered with different national and international organizations to conduct mountaineering training in Nepal, therefore, NMA signed agreement with Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA) in 2005. The chief guest of the program was Dinesh Bhatterai, Director General of Department of Tourism. NMA was also specially honored by Director General of Department of Tourism, IFMGA President Christian Trommsdorf and NNMGA President for its active involvement in the promotion of mountaineering training to develop mountain guides of international standard. NMA General Secretary Kul Bahadur Gurung made special presentation to inform foreign delegates about the program and objectives of NMA. President of NNMGA Sunar Gurung concluded the program with his vote of thanks for the special presence of the national and international delegates in the historic program organized in Kathmandu.
Press Conference on 4th Mountain Festival – 4 Dec NMA organized a press conference at NMA Secretariat, Naxal on 4th December to inform about 4th Mountain Festival which is going to be held at International Mountain Museum in Pokhara on 11th & 12th December 2017. This festival is observed every year. The United Nations General Assembly designated 11th December "International Mountain Day" and has been celebrating it since 2003. This year's theme for this day is " Mountains under Pressure: climate, hunger and migration". The main objectives of the event, which is held annually to observe International Mountain Day, are to: 1. Enhance the livelihoods of mountain communities by promoting mountain products, Programs such as Exhibition stalls, cycle rally, cultural shows, open wall climbing, chello competition and Taro khel are going to be organized. Notice: AGM – 10 Dec
4th Mountain Festival Commenced – 11 Dec 4th Mountain Festival 2017 started with a cycle rally today. Official starting of the program commenced from 11:00 am. Chief Guest for the program will be Mr. Maheshwor Neupane, Secretary of Ministry Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Various Cultural shows and stalls relating to Knowledge, Technology, Innovation, Arts and Culture are going to be kept. There will be food stalls as well, representing the ethnic flavour of mountain communities. Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) kindly requests you to participate in this festival.
Inauguration of 4th Mountain Festival 2017 (11 & 12 Dec 2017) – 12 Dec Mr. Maheshwor Neupane, Secretary of Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) inaugurated 4th Mountain Festival by lightning panas and watering the plant. The guests and the participants of the program observed one-minute silence in memory of known and unknown mountaineers demised on mountains during mountaineering. The program was organized on the occasion of International Mountain Day- 11 Dec with the theme of Mountains under pressure: climate change, hunger and migration. The 4th Mountain Festival started with the cycle rally with the 40 participants started from the premises of International Mountain Museum. The main objectives of the festival are to enhance the livelihoods of mountain communities by promoting mountain products, protect the vulnerable mountain environment and promote mountaineering, mountain culture & sports. The various events for this year's Mountain Festival mainly with the following programs are going on inside the premises of IMM. 1. Exhibition stalls NMA in coordination with MoCTCA, Nepal Tourism Board, ICIMOD, USAID, NMA Annapurna Chapter and other travel related organizations have coordinated to organize the program successfully. The program concluded with the vote of thanks of NMA President Santa Bir Lama. The program was coordinated by Kul Bahadur Gurung, General Secretary of NMA and it concluded with the vote of thanks from NMA President Santa Bir Lama. Conference on Mountains under pressure: climate change, hunger and migration A conference on Mountains under pressure: climate change, hunger and migration was also organized at IMM to mark 4th Mountain Festival. Representative from USAID, Abisekh Shrestha-KIRDARC and Dr. Ganesh Gurung presented papers on Hariyo Ban, Climate Change and Food Security in the Mountain Region and Migration respectively. The program was moderated by Kushal Gurung- Festival Director. The presentation was followed by the discussion round on the questions raised by the participants. In the same program, Mountain Legacy organized award distribution program of Sir Edmund Hillary Mountain Ligacy Medal. NMA President Santa Bir Lama awarded Dr. John Reinhard, PhD with the medal for his contribution in the field of mountain and mountaineering. NMA Executive Board members and staff also participated in the program to make it grand success.
Participation in Special screening of Bonington : Mountaineer – 15 Dec Special screening of Bonington : Mountaineer was organized on 15th December, 2017 (Today) in 15th Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (KIMFF) at Qfx cinemas- Kumari , Kamalpokhari at 5:30 pm. 26th Advance Mountaineering Training – 2017/18 to start from 1 Jan - 15 Dec Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) is organizing its annual training program 26th Advance Mountaineering Training 2017/18 from 1st January 2018 in Kathmandu and Langtang. Special screening of Bonington : Mountaineer – 16 Dec Special screening of Bonington : Mountaineer was organized on 15th December, 2017 (Today) in 15th Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (KIMFF) at Qfx cinemas- Kumari , Kamalpokhari at 5:30 pm. NMA President Santa Bir Lama, Ist Vice President Deebas Bikram Shah along with board members and NMA staff were present during the screening.
Dhauligiri- Ascent to the white mountain wins KIMFF 2017 – 19 Dec The documentary called "Dhauligiri- Ascent to the white mountain" from Argentina won the first prize of USD 1500 in the Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (KIMFF) organized in Kathmandu from 14-18 Dec 2017. The prize money was sponsored by Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA). It has also decided to contribute another USD 1500 annually to organize KIMFF in the coming years. NMA President Santa Bir Lama, General Secretary Kul Bahadur Gurung and Secretary Tika Gurung along with other board members attended the closing ceremony.
Congratulatory Program in honor of Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA-Nepal) , Nepal Association of Rafting Agents (NARA) and Nepal Magar Tourism Society- 20 Dec Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) organized congratulatory program on 20 Dec to congratulate the newly elected board members of TAAN, PATA-Nepal, NARA and Nepal Magar Tourism Society in the special program organized in Kathmandu. The major objective of the program is to strengthen the relationship among the tourism related organizations to work jointly for the betterment of Nepalese tourism industry. NMA President Santa Bir Lam chaired the program and it was conducted by General Secretary Kul Bahadur Gurung. NMA Secretary Tika Ram Gurung gave welcome speech followed by offering khada from I Vice President Deebas Bikram Shah, Treasurer Sudershan Neupane and introduction of the newly elected board members of TAAN, PATA-Nepal, NARA and Nepal Magar Tourism Society.
Mountain Leader Course Component II starting from 5 Jan – 20 Dec Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) is going to organize Mountain Leader Course -2017 Component II from 5th January to 18th January 2018 for the participants of Mountain Leader Course- Component I organized from 2nd July to 16th July 2017 in Kathmandu and International Mountaineers' Memorial Park, Kakani. Registration fee for this course is Rs. 7000. The participants from the following name list are requested to register their names at NMA before 3rd January: 1. Bishwo Kumar Rai Felicitation program organized by VITOF Nepal - 24 Dec Village Tourism Promotion Form Nepal (VITOF Nepal) organized a felicitation program for the current Central Executive Board of NMA on 22 Dec at its secretariat Paknajol, Kathmandu.
NMA's Advisory committee formed- 26 Dec Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) formed Advisory Committee headed by Mr. Lakpa Sonam Sherpa as Chief Adviser in the committee. The other advisers of the committee are as follows: Mr. Mahadev Gurung NMA organized introduction and congratulatory program on 26 Dec at its secretariat in the presence of Central Executive Board Members of NMA.
27th Annual General Meeting of NMA concluded - 29th Dec The 27th Annual General Meeting of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) was concluded on 29th December 2017, Friday at Hotel Yak & Yeti, Durbarmarg. Ex-Past Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli was the chief guest of the program. High Level Government Officials, Advisors of NMA, different representatives from tourism sectors, tourism entrepreneurs along with the general members of NMA were present in the Annual General Meeting. Program was officially started with the National Anthem of Nepal and one minute silence in the names of different national & international mountaineers who lost their life during mountaineering. The chief guest inaugurated the program by watering on the plant. Nepali Congress leader Mr. Prakash Saran Mahat and Nepal Communist Party (UML) leader Mr. Pradip Gyawali gave their speech focusing on the effects due to climate change on different peaks. The chief guest of the program felicitated the following top ten resource members during the fiscal year 2073/074 for depositing the service charge by issuing the highest number of climbing. 1. Himalayan Ecstasy Nepal Treks & Expedition Pvt. Ltd A short description by the NMA Advisor & Convener of Award Selection Committee Mr. Shambhu Tamang regarding the criteria for selection along with the declaration of their respective names was given for Kumar Khadka Bikram Adventurous Award, Dr. Harka Gurung Mountaineering Award and Dawa Norbu Mountaineering Journalist Award. Chief guest of the program awarded Dawa Norbu Mountaineering Tourism Journalism Award 2016 to Mr. Hari Gopal Pradhan, Mr. Chet Bahadur Adhikari and Mr. Prakash Khaling Rs.10,000 cash prize each. Kumar Khadka Bikram Mountaineering Award 2017 was awarded to Mr. Mingma Sherpa along with a medal, Dr. Harka Gurung Mountaineering Award 2017 was awarded to Mr. Buddhi Narayan Shrestha along with a medal and Dawa Norbu Mountaineering Tourism Journalism Award 2017 was awarded to Mr. Ballabh Mani Dahal with a cash prize of Rs. 25, 000. The chief guest also handed over the letter of appreciation to Mr. Lhakpa Rangdu Sherpa for the exhibition of photos titled Hilary step to Mt. Everest ( Sagarmatha) to bring out the facts about Hilary Step has disappeared or not – Controversial as evidence for all. The Chief guest of the program also launched the book published by Sian Pritchard- Jones and Bob Gibbos and map regarding Makalu – Lumbasumba & Arun valley and East Nepal Trekking Kanchanjunga- Makalu- Lhotse –Everest( Trekking Map). In the remarks made by the chief guest, he mentioned about the importance of mountain and mountaineering for the development of our nation. He also assured his full cooperation on the agendas put forwarded by NMA President in his welcome speech. Secretary of Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Mr. Maheshwor Neupane distributed scholarship cheques to the students supported under NMA welfare program, disable mountaineers and students supported under Mountain Disaster Relief and Educational Support Fund (MDRES). Tourism Secretary also handed letter of appreciation to ICIMOD, WWF and Ghorahi Cement P Ltd for their generous contribution in organizing Mountain Festival in International Mountain Museum, Pokhara since 2013. Then Tourism Secretary unveiled the log books to be distributed for the participants who complete UIAA accredited training called Mountain Leader Course conducted by NMA annually. In the 2nd Session of the meeting NMA Secretary, Mr. Tikaram Gurung welcomed all the general members of NMA. General Secretary Mr Kul Bahadur Gurung presented the progress report of the fiscal year 2073/74 and Treasurer Mr. Sudarshan Neupane presented the financial statement of the fiscal year 2073/74 along with the annual program with budget for the fiscal year 2074/75. Project manager Mr. Suman Meher gave his presentation on the work progress of newly constructing NMA Secretariat building. After the presentation, the general members deeply discussed in the presented programs and budget and questioned General Secretary, Treasurer and other members of Executive Board on some matters related with the budget. After thorough discussion, the general meeting endorsed all the plan-programs and budget. On the same program, NMA President handed over the log books to the participants of Mountain Leader Course. Treasurer informed that three proposal were received for Audit of 2074/75 financial details and among them T.R Dahal and Associates was selected. Finally, NMA 1st Vice President Mr. Deebas Bickram Shah thanked all the general members for their presence and assistance in approving the programs for the fiscal year 2074/75. |
