TO DO! 2001 – Award winners hail from
Nepal, India and Peru
Today, 17 March 2002, the Studienkreis fur Tourismus und
Entwicklung e. V., Ammerland, announced the award winners of the international contest for
Socially Responsible Tourism. On the occasion of the 36th International Tourism Exchange
(ITB) in Berlin, the TO DO!2001 was awarded to three candidates. The award winners hail
from Nepal, India and Peru. All three countries are represented among the TO Do! winners
for the first time, and all three projects pursue independently run village and regional
development concepts.
Of the total of 20 entries from 14 countries and four
continents the awards went to the TENGBOCHE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT of the Buddhist monastery
Tengboche in the Everest Region of Nepal, to the Tourism and village development project
BASIS INTERNATIONAL of Skreekandamangalam in the Indian state of Kerala, and to the
communally owned and indigenous tourist agency WANAMAI EXPEDITIONS in Cuzco, Peru.
All of the three TO DO! winners made it clear, says the
Chairman of the institute Mr. Armin Vielhaber, "that socially responsible tourism
projects are indeed in a position to contribute to poverty alleviation, provided they can
develop in peaceful setting. "Dr. Dietlind von Lassberg, the Manager of the institute
for Tourism and Development, pointed out that after the seventh year of the international
TO DO! Contest the number of entries wonder whether this trend will continue or whether we
will be able to award prizes again to convincing applications from industrialized
countries."
"The TO DO! Contest supports projects which make the
local population less dependent on traditional tourism, "says the ZDF moderator
Patricia Schafer in her laudatio. "At the same time the travelers awake to the fact
that globe-trotting could not only be in line with ecological principles but also with
social sustainability."
A case in point is the monastery TENGBOCHE, the spiritual
center and heart of the Sherpa culture, which no longer passively concedes that it be used
as a backdrop for the Buddhist scene – for the exotic Himalaya trip to Mount Everest.
On the contrary. With the Tengboche Development Plan of 1995 it was agreed to actively
promote the monastery and the habitat of the Sherpa ethnic group which had immigrated from
Tibet centuries age, and to attract some 30,000 visitors each year. From this time
trekking tourism is increasingly seen as a chance – and no longer as a burden imposed
from outside (waste, polluted drinking water, deforestation, disturbances in the life of
the monastery).
This change towards independent action can be contributed to
the initiative of the Tenghoche Rinpoche (abbot of the monastery). Together with the
architect and town planner Michael Schmitz who has been living in Nepal since 1975, he has
drawn up a master plan which takes into account the interests of both parties : those of
the local people and those of the tourists. After the monastery, situated at an altitude
of 4,000 meter, had finally created the necessary infrastructure (clean drinking water,
electricity through hydro-power, telephone, toilets, etc. ), thanks to considerable
donations, it is now in a position to influence the direction of the tourism business, be
it in the area of finances, social, ecological or cultural matters. In plain language: The
TENGBOCHE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT sees tourism as the transmission belt for a small-scale
regional development which is not only profitable for Tengboche itself, but also for the
surrounding villages in the Sherpa region (e.g. jobs also for young women). In all of this
the basic principles of the monastery are not endangered, after all, it is situated on
sacred land.
The "Tengboche Eco Center"' a visitors center built
in spring 200 just outside the monastery, functions as a tourist-cultural bridge to the
monastery and as one of the most important income earners (entrance fee 1,50 Euro).
Visitors are welcomed there and are given some information (Sacred Land video and
exhibition about the monastery, some basic information on Buddhism and the Sherpa
culture). Also prayer garlands, silk scarves said to bring good luck, incense sticks,
healing tea, arts and crafts of the Sherpa culture and many other things are offered and
sold.
The monastery itself remains a trade-free place and it is
normally open to all visitors. The income earned through the Tengboche Eco Center is
partly used to secure the future of the monastery (training of monks who will later teach
in the villages, food, social fund), and for environmental projects in the region
(reforestation) or for measures strengthening the Sherpa culture. At present utmost
attention is given to the development of a second "economic pillar" with the aim
of making the region less dependent on tourism. Under the auspices of the monastery some
plots were bought in the villages and at different altitudes, specifically for the
cultivation of medicinal plants and the production of Tibetan medicine. The Tibetan Clinic
at Namche Bazaar was opened where the local population can finally be treated according to
traditional methods of Tibetan high-altitude medication. Tourists are also welcome (pulse
diagnosis and, if necessary, treatment). The direct sale of these healing products under
the brand name "Sacred Land Initiatives" has meanwhile also started. An
increasing number of lodges are now offering the monastery-tasted "Himalayan Healing
Tea" or sell "healing incense sticks" with the logo "Sacred
Land". From this point of view the TENGBOCHE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT has meanwhile
attained more than model character. It has liberated itself from structures imposed from
outside and shows that it is possible, even in one of the poorest countries, to contribute
in small steps to regional development by applying a socially responsible tourism concept.
ROMUALD PROTECTS THE GREATER CARIBBEAN
The new French meteorological radar, Romuald, has been
operational since October 2001 in French Guiana making it possible to gain two hours in
forecasting adverse weather conditions. Romuald is the first of a series of nine weather
radars which, by 2004, will made up a network covering the Grater Caribbean to make better
predictions of intense rainfall, and cyclones.
The design and operation of Romuald
(Radar d'Observation Meteorologique d'Utilisation aisee Localement et a Distance) (the
easy-to-use local and distance meteorological observation radar) result from the
co-operation between Meteo-france and CNES (the French Space Studies Centre ) which
requires ever more accurate forecasts to launch European Ariane rockets from the Space
Centre in French Guiana. Costing 1.67 million euros (shared between CNES, the European
Space Agency and Meteo France), Romuald is now operational on the site of the Montagne des
Peres about 60 kilometres from Cayenne, the chief town of the France departement of the
Guiana Space Centre for all risky operations from the launching pad. It is important, in
particular, for avoiding the risk of being struck by lightning on the ground and in
flight, those linked to the direction and strength of the wind on the ground and in
different places and, more generally, for following developments in parameters of the
weather in real time.
The new radar, which is essential for the
operational functioning of the Guiana Space Centre, will cover the inhabited areas of the
coast, from Saint-Laurent to the Brazillian border. It will provide weather-forecasters at
the Meteo-France center (the organization in charge of weather forecasting), located in
Cayenne-Rochambeau airport, with data on precipitaion every five minutes, which is
indispensable for observing the atmosphere and for drawing up very short-term weather
forecasts in an area suffering from intense rain and cyclones. At the time of rainy season
(from mid-November to the end of January and from the end of March to the beginning of
July), Guiana suffers from intense rainfall likely to cause serious damage. The so-called
<<dry>> season (from mid – August to late October) corresponds to season
of cyclones, accompanied by heavy showers throughout the arc of the West Indies. The heavy
rainfall that fell in April 2000 led to serious flooding. The new radar will make it
possible to detect episodes of heavy rainfall well ahead of time and, above all, to gain a
couple of precious hours in issuing warnings to the population.
Romuald will be able to detect dangerous
phenomena within a range of 150 to 200 kilometers and measure rainfall within range of 100
to 120 kilometers. Moreover, Meteo-France will use the data obtained from the radar to
provide hydrological aid to water managers. Indeed, meteorological information about the
duration and intensity of precipitation is essential for the technical department of towns
and companies pecialised in water management: rain water collection and treatment, over
spilling of rivers, streaming land water and dam management.
Romuald's exceptional potential has led its
creators to integrating it into a system comprising nine radars which, by 2004, will form
a network covering the Greater Caribbean to provide better forecasts of heavy rainfall and
cyclones. With the help, in particular, of the European Union, Meteo-France plans to buy
and set up 4 radars for Trinidad and Tobago, Guyanna, Barbados and Belize which will
complement the recent radars that Guadeloupe, Martinique and Guiana already have. With two
other radars of the same kind already installed in San Domingo and in Jamaica, the system
will provide continuous surveillance of the Greater Caribbean, in real time, and a new
center for collating data that Meteo-France intends to set up in the French West
–Indies.
SA Regional Affairs:
Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse are twin evils that haunt the SA
region
-SAARC Secretary General, Kathmandu
At the 11th Summit the leaders resolved to
make regional cooperation more result-oriented and forward looking by adopting
well-defined programmes and matching strategies for their implementation. The Summit, held
after a gap of three years, has rejuvenated the SAARC process and given it a renewed sense
of purpose. Among the landmark decisions that emanated from the Summit several concerned
the vital area of social development. It is in this prevailing climate of pragmatic
optimism that the First Meeting of the Technical Committee on Social Development is taking
place.
South Asia is in an unenviable position in
terms of social progress. Some of the social indicators reflect a sobering reality
obtained in the region. Challenges both old and new in this area will have to be met with
consistent and imaginative actions. The First meeting of the Technical Committee on Social
Development has therefore a daunting task ahead. It has before it an exhaustive agenda
ranging from reviewing the status of implementation of decisions arising from the various
technical committees that merged together to form the Technical Committee on Social
Development to considerations of decisions and directives of the recently concluded 11th
SAARC Summit.
The erst-while Technical Committee on Health,
Population Activities and Child Welfare played a commendable role in the elaboration of
the social agenda of SAARC. Its initiatives resulted in the establishment of the SAARC
Tuberculosis Centre. The Annual Review of the Situation of Children by that Committee had
been particularly valuable in keeping the welfare of children high on priority of the
national policies of the SAARC countries. The decision to observe 2001-2010 as the Decade
of the Rights of the Child has been taken and we must not lose sight of the objectives of
the Decade. The last decade saw a flurry of activities relating to the subject of
improvement of the lot of women in the region, especially in the areas of access to basic
needs - education, health care and employment. Achievement of social development goals
will only be possible through the empowerment of women and their full participation in
decision-making processes. Many initiatives were undertaken in the observance of the SAARC
Year of the Girl Child and the SAARC Decade of the Girl Child. Since the Decade has ended,
it would be useful to assess its impact and devise ways to address issues relating to the
Girl Child in future. We must not lose the momentum gained in these key social areas. The
erstwhile Technical Committee on Women in Development formulated a Regional Plan of Action
on Women that was being reviewed annually. Its proposal for setting up a proper mechanism
for inter-sectoral coordination to draw attention to women’s issues merits serious
consideration.
Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse are twin evils that haunt the
region and affect the very fabric of the South Asian societies. We must spare no effort to
counter the trafficking and abuse of drugs. Innovative modules of treatment must be found.
The two-pronged approach of demand reduction and a responsive law enforcement regime can
be a viable option to stifle the drug menace. Obviously, serious considerations must be
given to raising mass awareness and rehabilitation programmes. Some very imaginative and
result-oriented activities have been undertaken under the auspices of the former Technical
Committee on Prevention of Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse. The Secretariat has prepared a
summary of the main activities and recommendations of this Committee and others in the
social sector. A careful review of the status of their implementation is in order.
The 11th Summit saw the birth of two
milestone conventions. The signing of the Convention on Regional Arrangements for the
Promotion of Child Welfare in South Asia and the Convention on Preventing and Combating
Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution brings unprecedented opportunities for
regional cooperation in two critical areas of concern. The Technical Committee on Social
Development may wish to discuss on the measures for effective implementation of the
Conventions and if felt necessary consider recommendations on broadening their scope. The
last Summit decided to establish an Autonomous Advocacy Group of prominent women
personalities to make recommendations on gender-related issues. The Committee may like to
recommend possible terms of reference for the group.
Successive SAARC Summits generated a number
of important decisions concerning the social sector. During the last Summit the Leaders,
in their collective wisdom, have given directives for the formation of a Task Force to
review the status of these decisions and to suggest guidelines for their effective
implementation. The Technical Committee may like to address this important matter. Though
the discussion on the proposed SAARC Social Charter is not on the current agenda of the
Committee, I am happy to inform you that the Secretariat has already circulated a draft
text for ascertaining views of the Member Countries.
As the Technical Committee on Social
Development meets for the first time, it needs to consider its role as an effective
facilitator to accelerate social progress through regional cooperation as envisioned in
the SAARC Charter. As you are aware, the Charter mandates the Technical Committees to,
inter-alia, determine the potential and scope of regional cooperation, formulate
programmes and prepare projects and recommend allocation of finances to agreed programmes
and projects. In the past the Technical Committees served well mostly as fora for sharing
experiences among Member Countries. While such exchanges were doubtless useful, it is
difficult to gauge how they have contributed in substantive terms to the social progress
in the region. The Committee therefore needs to adopt mechanisms for cooperative
endeavours in the region that are result-oriented and practical. As this Technical
Committee charts its course it should draw on the hindsights of the other Technical
Committees and adopt and implement well defined, target oriented and time bound programmes
and projects for the common benefit of the region. This will be in keeping with the
prevailing atmosphere in SAARC that is one of hope and a renewed sense of mission. The
SAARC process continues to be benefited from cooperation with the civil societies and
organisations both within and outside the United Nations systems. SAARC must be able to
tap into the vast pool of human and financial resources that these sources possess and are
willing to share. A calendar of activities have to be carefully drawn up with realistic
goals and incorporating some of those spillover activities from previous programmes.
MESSAGE FROM H.E. MR. Q.A.M.A. RAHIM,
SAARC SECRETARY GENERAL, TO THE FIRST MEETING OF THE
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT (SAARC SECRETARIAT, KATHMANDU : 18 – 20 MARCH 2002) |
