Completed project
Sahaastitwa: Strengthening Local Cultures to Build Harmony in Nepal
April 2010 to September 2012
$280,000 CAD
- EU: CA$252,000
- CECI contribution: CA$27,633
3,875 farmers.
Target audience: women from ethnic minority groups
Promoting Minority Cultural Identities to Build Social Harmony
In Nepal, more than 100 ethnic groups speaking over 92 languages and dialects are officially registered. Since the restoration of democracy, challenges related to ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural identity have become more apparent. As a result, intercultural tensions are arising with increasing frequency. To help foster greater social harmony and reduce these tensions, CECI, in partnership with the Nepalese NGO Worldview, has worked through the Sahaastitwa project to strengthen the cultural identity of minority groups.
This initiative, funded by the European Commission, was ambitious. On the one hand, it aimed to support various ethnic groups by providing technical assistance to promote cultural products and create value from them. It also sought to promote greater visibility of diversity and respect for cultural rights at the national level. To this end, advertisements were placed in local media, training and awareness-raising initiatives on Nepal’s multicultural reality were carried out, and one-time events promoting different cultures were organized.
It is estimated that, overall, 9 million people from different ethnic groups, castes, and religions benefit directly or indirectly from the project. Women, considered key actors in the project, were specifically targeted and included in all stages of implementation.
The project has achieved tangible results: numerous cultural products with significant development potential were identified, and various awareness-raising activities were organized. As Bhawani Tawa, a Nepalese producer who participated in one of these “best practices” workshops, explains: “Before this workshop, I didn’t think culture could generate resources and jobs locally. I thought culture was only related to ritual ceremonies and entertainment.”
Because culture is an antidote to violence, it encourages us to understand others and promotes tolerance. Promoting products from different cultures and raising awareness of cultural diversity means encouraging as many people as possible to reach out to their fellow human beings without prejudice.