A public policy dialogue on the draft National Culture Policy 2024 concluded

September 18, 2024

Policy Research Institute, Narayanhiti

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has drafted the National Culture Policy 2024 to replace the current National Culture Policy 2010. To gather feedback and suggestions on the draft, the Policy Research Institute organized a dialogue event with the participation of cultural stakeholders. This event aimed to ensure that the new policy reflects the diverse perspectives and needs of the culture sector. Thirty-nine people, including academics, culture experts, culture activists, and officials from various bodies and organizations, attended the event.

At the beginning of the program, the Executive Chairman of the Policy Research Institute welcomed the participants. Dr. Manita Kusi, an Associate Research Fellow of the Institute, presented briefly about the draft of the National Culture Policy 2081. The participants then shared their views and also pledged to give written suggestions.

Participants expressed their views on the draft National Culture Policy 2081, suggesting additions and clarifications. Key topics for addition included heritage grabbing, alternative dispute resolution structures, culture-friendly procurement rules, living museums, compulsory archiving, politics-free appointments, and age-group-conscious cultural practice. Similarly, topics for clarification included the differences between international and national standards, restoration of recovered heritage, building codes including traditional architecture, participation of the private sector, cultural reformation, culture-friendly administration, digital museums, pilgrimage tourism, endowment, listing of intangible cultural heritage, cultural terminology, cultural purity and dynamism, cultural transformation, integrity of the traditional Nepali alphabets, and addressing conflicts between science or public health and culture.

Dr. Jham Kumar Bishwakarma, an Associate Research Fellow of the Policy Research Institute, conducted the dialogue program.

Participants

Invited Guests

  1. Dr. Pashupati Nyaupane (Assistant Professor, Central Department of Nepalese History, Culture and Archaeology, Tribhuvan University)
  2. Bhisma Banskota (Archaeology Officer, Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation)
  3. Bhavadatta Sapkota (Assistant Professor, Department of Rural Development, Patan Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University)
  4. Seteman Tamang (Executive Member, National Foundation For Development of Indigenous Nationalities)
  5. Chandra Kumar Rai Hatuwali [President, Cultural Corporation (National Theater)]
  6. Nishnu Thing (Researcher)
  7. Yadav Lal Kayastha (Cultural Activist)
  8. Roman Maharjan (Cultural Activist)
  9. Tek B. Mahat (Chief Executive Officer, Hotel Association Nepal)
  10. Suresh Kumar Yadav (Chief Librarian, Kaiser Library)
  11. Dr. Nutan Dhar Sharma (Akshyeshwar College)
  12. Dr. Suresh Suras Shrestha (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation)
  13. Shiv Raj Regmi (Under-Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation)
  14. Subhadra Sharma Gautam (Section Officer, Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation)
  15. Prof. Dr. Hridaya Ratna Bajracharya (Technical Advisor, University Grants Commission)
  16. Matrika Pokharel (Hon. Member, Language Commission)
  17. Bina Joshi (Traditional Arts Specialist)
  18. Pradip Shrestha (Urban Researcher)
  19. Pradip Acharya (Assistant Professor, Tribhuvan University)
  20. Padam Raj Joshi (Section Officer, Nepal National Commission for UNESCO)
  21. Anup Singh Suwal (Cultural Activist)
  22. Prof. Dr. Omkareshwar Shrestha (Professor, Central Department of Nepal Bhasa, Tribhuvan University)
  23. Prof. Dr. Bina Paudyal (Professor, Central Department of Nepalese History, Culture and Archaeology, Tribhuvan University)
  24. Niran Jwalananda Rajopadhyay (Head Priest, Shri Patan Taleju Proposed Tantra Temple)
  25. Saroj Shrestha (Cultural Activist)
  26. Dr. Basudev Krishna Shastri (General Secretary, Nepal Teaching Council)
  27. Ram B. Kunwar (Spokesperson, Department of Archaeology)
  28. Rajju Hada (Records Officer, National Archives)
  29. Dr. Chintamani Nath Yogi (Head, Shanti Sewa Ashram /Peace Service Center)
  30. Pushpa Raj Purush (Member, Shanti Sewa Ashram/Peace Service Center)
  31. Prof. Dr. Priyamvada Kafle (Professor, Nepal Sanskrit University)
  32. Nabha Basnyat Thapa (Head of Culture Unit, UNESCO)
  33. Rajendra Dahal (Officer, Guthi Sansthan)
  34. Sureshman Lakhe (Acting Executive Director, Patan Museum)
  35. Surya Prasad Dhungel (Executive Director, Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Vikas Samiti)
  36. Shri Krishna Adhikari (President, Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Vikas Samiti)
  37. Abhas Dharananda Rajopadhyaya (Priest, Changunarayan)
  38. Dharmendra Dani (Journalist, Hamro Agency News)
  39. Min Bahadur Khadka (Journalist, Hamro Agency News)

Policy Research Institute

  1. Prof. Dr. Lekhnath Sharma (Executive Chairman)
  2. Laxman Prasad Bhattarai (Office Manager)
  3. Dr. Hari Sharma Neupane (Head, Research Department)
  4. Dr. Deepak Kumar Khadka (Head, Information and Knowledge Management Department)
  5. Dr. Giriraj Sharma (Research Fellow)
  6. Dr. Jham Kumar Bishwakarma (Associate Research Fellow)
  7. Dr. Manita Kusi (Associate Research Fellow)
  8. Ashok Pandey (Associate Research Fellow)
  9. Bimal Chandra Sharma (Library Management Coordinator)
  10. Rija Manandhar (Analyst)
  11. Jyoti Luintel (Research Intern)
  12. Soniya Bashyal (Research Intern)
  13. Kanchan Gautam (Research Intern)
  14. Jenish Maharjan (Research Intern)

Please click here for the photographs of this event