Dossier :
Kathmandu, Nepal, May 2009
Kathmandu Meeting, May 2009 : Participants list and Programme
Kathmandu, May 2009.
Programa
Peace Prospects in South Asia
Exploring the role of religion and civil society In the construction of peace, 11-13 May 2009, Kathmandu
Programme
11 May 2009, Monday
09:00 am : Welcome: Siddhartha (Irenees - South Asia & Pipal Tree)
09:10 am : Self Introductions
09:45 am : Opening remarks on the consultation: Siddhartha
10:15 am : Introduction of Irenees and its work: Henri Bauer (Director-Irenees)
10:45 am : Expectations/outcomes from the distinguished participants
11:15 am : Tea break
11:45 am : Overview of issues related to fundamentalism and conflict in South Asia: Asghar Ali Engineer (Director-Institute of Islamic Studies, Mumbai)
01:00 pm : Lunch
02:00 pm : Panel
Theme: Exploring prospects for peace and reconciliation in Nepal (including the contribution of religions).
Panelists: Kapil Shreshta and friends
04:30 pm – 05:00 pm : Tea
12 May 2009, Tuesday
08:30 am : Leave for Dhulikhel Lodge Resort. Cultural morning.
01:00 pm : Lunch at Dhulikhel.
02:00 am : Panel
Theme: Exploring prospects for Indo-Pakistan peace (including the role of religious fundamentalism in Pakistan).
Panelists:
1. Fahmida Riaz
2. Karamath Ali
3. Syed Jaffar Ahmed
4. Mubarak Ali
04:00 pm : Tea
20:00 pm : end of Session
13 May 2009, Wednesday
09:00 am :
Theme: Exploring prospects for Indo-Pakistan peace (including the role of religious fundamentalism in India).
Panelists:
1. Mazher Hussain
2. Asghar Ali Engineer
3. K. Anuradha
4. Sanjeev Kulkarni
5. Prashanth V. Kumar
6. Siddhartha / Shabin / Ananda
12:00 noon : Potentialities of religions and civil society in the construction of peace
01:00 pm : Lunch
02:00 pm : Informal discussions on issues connected with follow-up.
04:00 pm : Tea
Participantes
Fifteen people gathered for the meeting, coming from different countries (three from Pakistan, eight from India, two from Nepal and two from France).
Siddharta, director of Fireflies Ashram located in the south of Bangalore.
Henri Bauer, director of Irenees, Institute of Resources for Peace. (France)
Fahmida Riaz, famous Pakistani poet and writer of the Indo-Pak subcontinent. Her novels, poetry and short stories are translated in many European and South Asian languages. In 1997, The Human Rights Watch gave her the Hemmit Hellman Award. Since 1994, she founded an NGO, by the name of WADA, which in Urdu means a promise . This organization works for peace, for women’s right and human rights, working with the teaching and student community through books and cultural activities. She is at present living in Karachi.
Asghar Ali Engineer is an Indian Muslim and a Islamic scholar, reformist-writer and activist. Internationally he is known for his work on liberation theology in Islam, the leader of the Progressive Dawoodi Bohra movement, and his work on (and action against) communalism and communal and ethnic violence in India and South East Asia. He is an advocate of a culture of peace, non-violence and communal harmony, and has lectured all over world. He is presently head of ‘Institute of Islamic Studies’ and ‘Centre for Study of Society and Secularism’, both of which he founded in 1980 and 1993 respectively.
Dr. Mubarak Ali is an eminent historian, activist and scholar of Pakistan. He got M.A. History from Sindh University, Hyderabad in 1963. In 1972, he went first to London and then Germany for higher studies and attained PhD (on Mughal Period, India) from Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany in 1976. Later he became head of history department of Sindh University. He was the director of the Goethe Institute in Lahore, until 1996. He is also the editor of the quarterly journal Taarikh (History). He has been widely interviewed by electronic and print media in India, Pakistan and Mid East. He has written a number of books and articles on Indo-Pak history, and has been widely acclaimed as anti-establishment thinker and historian.
K.Anurhada, activist among dalits and involved in social issues like Women and Secularism. The name of her organization is Aman Vedika (India).
Kapil Shestra, Professor and former member of the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal (Nepal).
Dr. Syed Jaffar Ahmed is professor of Politics, History and Research Methodology and director of the Pakistan Study Centre, University of Karachi. Dr. Ahmed did his M.A and M.Phil from the university of Karachi in political Sciences and Pakistan Studies respectively. Later, in 1993, he did his PhD in social and political Sciences from the University of Cambridge, UK. Dr. Ahmed has written extensively on Politics, History and Constitution. Apart from authoring two books including Federalism in Pakistan: A Constitutional Study, Dr.Ahmed has edited three books and has contributed numerous articles in research journals and edited works (Pakistan).
Sanjeev Kulkarni, is a doctor involved in social issues (India).
Prashanth V. Kumar, works for the Sri Ravi Shankar’s organization and is part of the Art Living Foundation (India).
Mazher Hussain, is the director of the COVA (Confederation of Voluntary Associations)((India).
Shabin Paul, works at Fireflies as a programme coordinator (India).
Sixtine Jaureguiberry, works for Irenees (France).
Ananda Siddhartha ,studies Sociology at the Christ University.(India)
Mrs Ratna(Nepal)