Pax Earth Japan President Dr. Soko Aoki visited Nepal and Bhutan from August 19, 2011 to August 24, 2011. The main objective of his visit was to have a comprehensive meeting with PEN members and check annual plan, to hold business plan meeting with PEN members, and exploring opportunities for collaboration with tourism related institutions in Nepal mobilizing PEN, PEJ and Kadinche Corporation. In this visit, he had tried to trade-off between business, social and family motives.
On August 19 at 12.45pm, PEJ President Soko Aoki was warmly welcomed at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) by PEN President Sujan Koirala, Treasurer Bal Gopal Shrestha and Board Member Harihar Sapkota. Right after reaching the Fuji Hotel, he had a meeting with PEN Advisor Dr. Ganesh Gurung. The discussion was mainly focused on educational and environmental activities carried out in Kavrepalanchok. President Sujan was also present in the meeting. They also inquired about the possibility of virtual tour business in Nepal. Advisor Gurung felt that Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) might be interested for creating a virtual tour of International Mountain Museum located in Pokhara. As he is also a member of NMA, he has assured to extend support if NMA is interested to create a virtual tour. The meeting lasted exactly one hour.
At 3.00pm both the Presidents left for Nepal Tourism Board where they could meet Diwakar B. Rana (Senior Manager, Tourism Marketing & Promotion), Ujjwala Dali (Senior Manager, Tourism Marketing & Promotion) and Madan Lamichhane (Officer, Toursim Marketing & Promotion). The meeting was mainly centered on possibility of creating a 3D website of NTB. NTB Officials asked for the proposal and if possible to present a PowerPoint slide of the proposal on August 24.
After the meeting at NTB, PEJ President and PEN President headed to Ghale Treks where they could meet the Managing Director Ram Ghale. The discussion was mainly centered on possible collaboration in website development with his brother Dipen Ghale. It was already 5.30pm when the meeting was over. Then, both the Presidents hurriedly headed for PEN Secretariat to have a joint meeting. On the way, they picked up Yasuhiro Furukawa, a friend from Japan. They arrived at PEN Secretariat at 6.30PM where most of the members were already present.
President Sujan presented a paper that incorporated the activities, achievements and financial statements of PEN till July 2011. The joint meeting checked the annual plan and evaluated the plan and implementation so far. President Sujan summarized the meeting held with Advisor Gurung, NTB Officials and Ghale Treks and highlighted the outcome as follows:
Meeting with Dr. Ganesh Gurung
– Possibility of creating a virtual tour of International Mountain Museum
Meeting with NTB Officials
– Creating panorama virtual tours of world heritage sites of Kathmandu valley.
Meeting with Ghale Treks
– Possible collaboration in website creating
The joint meeting discussed on possible fund raising activities. PEN member Sudan Pd. Bhandari proposed if President Soko or any other Japanese friend can explore the remittance business in Japan i.e. to create a business tie-up between a Japanese bank and a Nepalese bank via remittance agreement. If such agreement can be possible with PEJ and PEN efforts, Pax Earth can get certain amount of commission which will enable the organisation to sustain and expand the projects in Kavrepalanchok. The meeting lasted for one 1hr and 15min. After the meeting, all Pax members present on the occasion had a dinner at Timur Food Centre, Mitrapark. PEN members termed it as a treat of PEJ President’s marriage party. After the dinner, PEN Joint Treasurer Dipendra Dangol took President Soko and Yasuhiro to Fuji Hotel in his car.
On August 20 at 7.30am, Pax members gathered at PEN Secretariat. Then, 9-members Pax team led by PEN President Sujan and accompanied by PEJ President Soko, Secretary Manohar Sapkota, Treasurer Bal Gopal Shrestha, Joint Treasurer Dipendra Dangol, Board Member Binod Pd. Mainali, Member Sudan Pd. Bhandari, Member Rabindra Neupane, Yasuhiro Furukawa, a friend from Japan and a sister of Board Member Binod left for Kavrepalanchok. On the way to Kavrepalanchok, the Pax team could visit Sangha Shiva Temple.
In this whole day visit, PEJ President Soko inspected Pax Earth’s educational projects sites: Shree Raktakali Primary School (SRPS) and Shree Kalika Primary School (SKPS) along with the PEN members. The Pax team could also know the priorities of both the schools for 2012. The Pax team could also inspect a water source “Ganesh Dhara” located near SRPS. Further, PEJ President could inspect a house of a student studying at SRPS.
The Pax team arrived in Kathmandu at 7.40pm after an adventurous journey. Right after arriving in Kathmandu, both the Presidents went to meet Anan Loza, a friend from Bhutan in a restaurant in Thamel. They had a dinner together with Anan. After the dinner, President Soko went to Fuji Hotel while President Sujan went to his home.
On August 21 at 8.30am PEJ President left for Bhutan and on August 23 at 12.15pm, he arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. President Sujan went to welcome him at the airport and took him to his home located at Kapan. At 1.30pm, they went to Dipendra’s office who took them to JICA Nepal in his car. It took nearly two hours to arrive at JICA Nepal Office located at Hariharbhavan, Lalitpur. They had a meeting with Nobuko Hirota, Coordinator, NGO-JICA Japan Desk (Nepal) and Akio Endo, Representative, JICA Nepal Office. They shared the activities carried out by Pax IV Hyper for past 10 years including the planning for Nepal Japan Project 2011 and Pax Earth’s educational and environmental activities carried out in Kavrepalanchok. The meeting lasted half an hour.
At 4.30pm, both the Presidents headed for NTB where President Soko was scheduled to deliver his PowerPoint presentation. There were more than 10 high level executives of NTB waiting for the presentation. President Soko presented a PowerPoint slide on “Creating a high quality panorama virtual tours of world heritage sites of Kathmandu valley. After the presentation, he gave answers to the queries raised by the officials. The main objective of holding this presentation was to explore the mutual beneficial business in Nepal.
After the meeting at around 5.45pm, both of them left for Kapan to have a meeting with Ngima Dorje Sherpa, Secretary, Trekking Agents Association of Nepal. In the meeting, they mainly discussed on possible business collaboration specially in creating panorama virtual tours of some important trekking destinations of Nepal. Secretary Ngima assured to be in touch so that once the trekking season comes, he will approach with President Soko for any mutual beneficial business. Both the parties agreed to maintain contact with each other. Then, Sujan took Soko to his home for the dinner. Bal Gopal joined them at the dinner. Soko left for Fuji Hotel after the dinner.
On 24th morning at 9am, President Sujan and Board Member Laxman took President Soko to Garden of Dreams, Thamel; Shreebatsa joined them. After exploring the beautiful garden at around 10am both Soko and Sujan left for Ghale Treks while Shreebatsa and Laxman went to their respective office. They had a breakfast discussion with Ram Ghale and his brother Dipen Ghale on possible collaboration for outsourcing for website creation.
At 11.15pm, President Soko and President Sujan left for TIA, Kathmandu. Bal Gopal and Laxman joined them at the airport. Then, PEN members bid him farewell and wished for a happy and safe journey.
