It was a two in one celebration in the UNICEF Nepalgunj office on Magh 2 (15 January). One was the inauguration of the seismically-friendly premises that the office was moving into, and the other was the celebration of UNICEF Nepal's recently launched 5-year country programme and action plan, which geographically will be focused in the mid and far western regions of the country. Magh 2 is also the National Earthquake Safety Day in Nepal in commemoration of the great earthquake of nubbay saal (1934) which wreaked a lot of death and destruction in Nepal as well as northern India.
the stage was all set for the day ...
some were busy making buntings...
... and others busy stringing them up.... by any means...
.. they fluttered in the hazy morning sun...
the doorway of the new office ready to welcome staff and visitors
displays all set up...
... including show and tell material...
.. and then first guests start arriving, field office chief is right there to welcome them...
.. the SP..
...the Chief Guest,Mr. Dhundi Raj Pokhrel, Chief District Officer of Banke district ..
...SSP Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal...
UNICF Representative Hanaa Singer greets the chief guest
The programme starts mc'd joint by Radhika...
... and Madhuri...
... the audience...
... Presentation of earthquakes and earthquake safety, including the ways of making buildings safe by WASH Officer Siddhi Shrestha
... each dot, and earthquake.. the bigger the dot the greater the magnitude of the quake...
Just before the formal inauguration of the building, a little bit of 'housewarming' ritual.. pouring water and flowers on the house owner. since the owner was not around, Surendra, the Zone Office Chief, was at the receiving of the 'flower shower' !
The Chief Guest and the Representative unveil the plaque jointly...
...And then it was time for remarks. First up was the Local Development Officer of Banke, Mr. Bishwa Raj Dotel. He said he was very familiar with UNICEF's programmes, including child friendly local governance, and wished UNICEF a very 'healthy' future...
Then it was Hanaa Singer's turn. She referred to the great earthquake of 'nubbay saal' and said, "On this day we need to remember the past and learn from it. And it is when we reflect like that we realise that with destruction also comes the opportunity for reconstruction, of correcting our errors and charting futuristic paths..." She then went on to explain the changes and thrust of the the new country programme.
"... we have a lot to do in these areas. both geographically and programmatically. And we can only do it if we work together doing haate-maalo and doing 'hostay-hainsay! hostay-hainsay!'
After that it was the chief guest's turn. While appreciating UNICEF's role in uplifting the situation of children and women in Nepal since the 1960s, said, "We are confident that UNICEF will continue to work to build a more inclusive society and to work for the development of and protection of children in the mid and far western regions of Nepal."
.. the final concluding note and vote of thanks by the Zone Office Chief Surendra Singh Rana...
When the programme ended visitors went on a tour of the premises
... reception area...
Surendraji with the LDO
After that the visitors went outside and learnt about unicef's programmes down the decades through the displays
and a bit of explanation about the prepositioned supplies
... Surendra explains about UNICEF's working areas ...
.. by then the food was laid out...
the three Palpali gentlemen with Hanaa
smiles after the event was done...
...and a group picture...
... and winding down with staff...
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