Transcending Tradition: Charting a New Course for Research and Creation in Nepal

During the 66th anniversary of Nepal Pragya-Pratishthan, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" shared his belief that the future of Nepalese culture should not merely rely on tradition. He emphasized that maintaining the status quo no longer suffices, and a cultural transformation is crucial to institutionalizing the changes in Nepal's social structure and political system.

PM Dahal urged for resistance against the deeply entrenched feudalistic culture at the micro level of Nepalese society, and the overwhelming wave of globalized postmodern culture. He stressed that fostering a culture friendly to a federal, proportional, and republican era is a major responsibility today.

Prajna Pratishthan: Promoting and Developing Nepal's Rich Culture

The Prime Minister accentuated that it's the duty of Prajna Pratishthan to advance and nurture all languages spoken in Nepal, along with their various branches of literature, culture, and knowledge. This should align with the spirit of the Constitution of Nepal, 2072. Dahal opined that Nepal's sophisticated cultural traditions, indigenous knowledge, and literature will thrive if they connect with contemporary knowledge and thinking.

The institution, initially established in 2014 as the Nepal Literature and Art Academy aims to study, research, and develop different aspects of Nepalese knowledge including language, literature, art, and culture. Following the people's movement of 2062-63, the Nepal State Institute of Fine Arts and Music and Drama separated from the original Nepal State Institute of Arts and Sciences. The latter continues to research and publish works related to language, literature, culture, philosophy, and sociology.

Building a Progressive, Inclusive Culture

As per PM Dahal, fostering a culture that respects labor, supports a productive national economy, and aligns with the socialist-oriented system of the state is crucial. He announced the formation of a new Pragya Parishad and Pragya Sabha to meet these requirements.

The government, he noted, is open to innovative proposals from the current leadership of Pragya-Pratishthan. Dahal appreciated their efforts in researching Nepal's oral history, promoting native languages, and highlighting the beauty of Nepal's transformation. He assured substantial governmental support for these initiatives.

National Poetry Festival: Celebrating Nepal's Linguistic Diversity

Highlighting the cultural dynamism, PM Dahal expressed his joy at the multilingual representation in the poetry festival that began in 2022 BS. With a record participation of poets, approximately three dozen languages were represented at the festival.

In an exciting announcement, he revealed that starting next year, poems in all of Nepal's languages would be included in the National Poetry Festival, truly reflecting the nation's linguistic diversity.

The Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, discussed the significance of Kavita Mahtsov and its cultural aspects. Chancellor of Pragya-Pratishthan Bhupal Rai shared insights about the National Poetry Festival, demonstrating the government's commitment to fostering a culturally rich and inclusive Nepal.

Published on 25th June 2023