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Bhutan News Service

Bhutan News Service

Washington Bhutanese observes Bhanu Jayanti

Posted: 11 Jul 2010 08:10 AM PDT

Washington Bhutanese observes Bhanu Jayanti
Bhutanese in Washington State celebrated 196th anniversary of Aadi Kavi Bhanubhakta Acharya at the Rainier Beach Public Library hall amidst a gathering of over 50 Bhutanese from all over Washington.
Newly established Bhutanese Community Resource Center, Rainier chapter organized the program. The program formally started at the chairmanship of Ran Bahadur Dhital followed by the welcome speech by Tanka Dhital. The panel of judges for the poem recitation competition (Kavita bachan) included Tulsi Dabadi, Chuda Dahal.
Ten poems were registered for the competition.  Padam Rizal won the best prize for his poem "Mero Nepali Bhasa" (my Nepali language) from the senior group and Lok Subedi won the best prize for his poem "Rastriyata" (Nationality) and "Gantabya" (destination) from the junior. Winners were awarded with the prize by the Chairman.
Meanwhile, ten more poems were recited that were excluded from the competition on writers own discretion.
Tulsi Dabadi spoke about the life of Bhanubhakta, about the lessons kavi learnt from the Ghassi and the relevance of remembering him in context of growing Bhutanese community all over the globe. A group of seniors including Leela Adhikari, Haribhakta Khatiwada and Teknath Subedi recited few stanzas of Bhanubhaktiya Ramayan.
The program, which lasted for nearly couple of house, was anchored by Khem Rizal.
Bhutanese in Washington State celebrated 196th anniversary of Aadi Kavi Bhanubhakta Acharya at the Rainier Beach Public Library hall amidst a gathering of over 50 Bhutanese from all over Washington.

Participants of the program.

Participants of the program.

Newly established Bhutanese Community Resource Center, Rainier chapter organized the program. The program formally started at the chairmanship of Ran Bahadur Dhital followed by the welcome speech by Tanka Dhital. The panel of judges for the poem recitation competition (Kavita bachan) included Tulsi Dabadi, Chuda Dahal, Hari Niraula.

Ten poems were registered for the competition.  Padam Rizal won the best prize for his poem "Mero Nepali Bhasa" (my Nepali language) from the senior group and Lok Subedi won the best prize for his poem "Rastriyata" (Nationality) and "Gantabya" (destination) from the junior. Winners were awarded with the prize by the Chairman.
Meanwhile, ten more poems were recited that were excluded from the competition on writers own discretion.
Tulsi Dabadi spoke about the life of Bhanubhakta, about the lessons kavi learnt from the Ghassi and the relevance of remembering him in context of growing Bhutanese community all over the globe. A group of seniors including Leela Adhikari, Haribhakta Khatiwada and Teknath Subedi recited few stanzas of Bhanubhaktiya Ramayan. The program, which lasted for nearly couple of hours, was anchored by Khem Rizal.
Reported by Yug Dabadi for BNS

British journo bags UNHCR award

Posted: 10 Jul 2010 08:46 PM PDT

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that its annual Nansen Refugee Award will go to Alixandra Fazzina, a British photojournalist whose work documents the often overlooked consequences of war.

On learning of the award Fazzina said, “I am overwhelmed and absolutely delighted to have been recognized by UNHCR with this distinguished honour. I have always sought to bring greater attention to those forced to flee conflict, violence and misery. To lose one’s home and have to start a new life is one of the greatest challenges anybody can face, yet millions every year have no other choice.”

Over the past ten years Fazzina has travelled to Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe documenting the lives of the uprooted through powerful and moving photo essays.

Announcing the recipient of this year’s Nansen Award, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres called Fazzina a “fearless humanitarian. By unearthing and so vividly portraying the individual stories of uprooted people she has achieved something remarkable. Her commitment, empathy and devotion to getting to the bottom of every story make her an exemplary chronicler of the world’s most vulnerable people.”

Fazzina began her career as a photojournalist embedded with the British army in Bosnia in 2005. She has since focussed on chronicling the human suffering caused by war. The Nansen award committee praised in particular her coverage of land mine victims in Kosovo, civilians stranded behind enemy lines in Angola, rape as a weapon of war in Sierra Leone, the abuse of children by militias in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda and refugee situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Between 2006 and 2008 Fazzina chronicled the exodus of migrants and refugees from Somalia as they sought to cross the Gulf of Aden to Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula. Spending extended periods of time with those looking to make the hazardous journey aboard smugglers’ boats; she captured first hand the despair and suffering of people seeking safety and a better life. The result was the book, A Million Shillings – Escape from Somalia to be published in September.

The Nansen Refuge Award is given annually to an individual or organization for outstanding work on behalf of refugees. It includes a $100,000 prize that the winner can donate to a cause of his or her choice. It was created in 1954 in honour of Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian explorer, scientist and the first U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

The Nansen Award Ceremony will take place on 5 October 2010 in Geneva.

Bhutan gets relief from Swine flu cases

Posted: 10 Jul 2010 08:44 PM PDT

The public health laboratory in Thimpu, the capital city of Bhutan  has brought a firm smile in the faces of the Bhutanese when the former reported a gradual decrease in the number of people who have been coming there to get tested for H1N1.

The number has been decreased from 40 cases a day when the outbreak was first reported in May last year to 15 at present. When the total of 2,299 samples have been collected in the laboratory since May last year, 269 tested positive. Interestingly, the country has not seen any death due to the flu. However, the health officials in Bhutan argue that the vaccine for H1N1 was introduced in the country as a preventive measure, especially for those with weak immune system.

Bhutan received 65,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine for free from the WHO in May. The health ministry report states that  there are 2,541 diabetic people, 6,070 with heart disease, 685 with cancer, 166 HIV positive, 4,000 health workers and 28,000 children, who are below two years. The remaining, 9,538 vaccines will be distributed to those living with chronic respiratory conditions.