COLORADO:- The three-day 9th International Nepali Literature Conference organized in Colorado, USA, has concluded with the issuance of a nine-point declaration. The three-day International Nepali Literature Conference, which began on Saturday at the Hotel Drury in Westminster, Colorado, and was organized by the Central Working Committee of the International Nepali Literature Society (ANESAS) and coordinated by the ANSAS Colorado Chapter, concluded on Monday with the issuance of the ‘Colorado Declaration’.

The declaration includes activities such as promoting Nepali literature in world literature, publishing a journal annually, providing writing scholarships to encourage young writers, providing expert writers to edit publication-oriented manuscripts, announcing and awarding children’s talent awards to encourage children in writing, and conducting writing training to encourage Nepalis around the world in literature.

The conference also distributed the ‘Anessas Navratna Literary Awards and Prizes’ to nine talented women writers, authors and literary activists. The recipients of the Navratna Awards are Renuka Sol (Nepal), Riza Pradhan (Australia), Sita Devi Bastola (Denmark), Savi Shrestha (Portugal), Sita Aryal (USA), Kamala Neupane (USA), Lakshmi Shrestha (USA), Ana Stir (USA) and Bishnu Ghale (USA).

The amount of this honor and award, which is given every two years for playing a special role in the international promotion, study, writing, and campaigning of Nepali literature, is two hundred US dollars.

The grand conference, organized with the support of organizations including NRNA, NCC America, and the Nepal American Journalists Association (NEJA), was jointly inaugurated by senior writer and Madan Award winner Dr. Nawaraj Lamsal, founding president of ANESAS Homanath Subedi, ANESAS Board of Trustees President Padam Bishwakarma, and current president of ANESAS Sarvagya Wagle.

Special guests included Madan Puraskar-winning writer Neelam Karki Niharika, renowned English writer Dr. Jacqueline Kerbeck, Red O’Laughlin, Mayor of Boulder, Colorado Aaron Brackett, Mayor of Westminster, Claire Carmelia, and President of NRNA NCC America, Satendra Sah.

Immediately after the inauguration, Dr. Jacqueline, as the ‘key note speaker’, discussed the current challenges of world literature, the potential and contribution of Nepali literature. The conference, organized by ANESAS General Secretary Raju Sitaula and Treasurer Tara Adhikari, saw the release of more than 100 books and the reading of nearly 140 literary figures.

Interesting discussions, debates and interactions were held in more than a dozen sessions with the participation of senior writers, journalists and famous writers. Among them, the session titled ‘History in History and History in Story’ featured the participation of writer Neelam Karki Niharika, former editor-in-chief and writer Sudhir Sharma of Kantipur, and editor-in-chief and writer Basant Basnet of Online News. Facilitated by former BBC Sajha Sawal presenter Narayan Shrestha, the session specifically discussed the contribution and role of writers in bringing famous historical events to the general readership through narrative.

Similarly, in the leadership and literature session, the experiences of former presidents of ANESAS were presented, while in the Nepali women’s literature session, there was a special discussion on the issues of women writers’ struggle and empowerment. Similarly, there was a debate on poetic tradition and contemporary expression, and the role of journalists and media active in the diaspora in the promotion of Nepali literature.

Senior litterateur Dr. Lamsal, Sudhir Sharma, Basant Basnet, Babita Basnet, Tikaram Yatri, Bipul Pokharel and other journalists participated in the conference as speakers and facilitators from Nepal. Similarly, Deuda singer and creator Nanda Krishna Joshi also participated from Nepal. Journalists Narayan Shrestha, Prem Baniya, Rajan Kuikkel, and NEJA President Suraj Bhandari participated from America.

Similarly, the literary writers included Sarvagya Wagle, President of ANESAS, Khem Rijal, President of Bhutanese Literature Council, Radheshyam Lekali, Govardhan Puja, and others. Media Coordinator Dirgharaj Upadhyay informed that Kiran Adhikari, President and Program Coordinator of ANESAS Colorado Chapter, Padam Bishwakarma, President of ANESAS Board of Trustees, Raju Sitaula, General Secretary, Tara Adhikari, and others played a special role in holding the literature conference in Colorado in a grand manner.

“It is a special achievement in the international promotion of Nepali literature,” said General Secretary Raju Sitaula. “In the coming days, it is our responsibility to move forward with the participation and role of young writers in the international promotion of Nepali literature, and with the support of all organizations and institutions. We have emphasized the same thing in the manifesto.”