Ambassador Scott DeLisi Opening of the Parliamentary Media Center

February 3, 2012

Thank you Honorable Speaker and Mr. Secretary.  It is an honor to stand with you today to inaugurate your new Parliamentary Media Center.  I understand that this space has undergone an amazing transformation, much as Nepal itself.  I noticed the old printing press behind this room as I came in, it is a wonderful artifact of another era, and one that I hope will remind each person that passes through this hall of where this country has been, and how it continues to develop and progress.  

But before I go further, I want to thank you both for your commitment to this project.  It is an example of what can be achieved through cooperation between Nepal and the United States.  I would like to highlight the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development, and am pleased that David Atteberry, our USAID Mission Director, and our Democracy & Governance team from USAID could join us here today.  I would also like to acknowledge the representatives of the National Democratic Institute and especially The Asia Foundation, who are here today and who gave their time and effort to the Parliament Secretariat to make this Media Center a reality. 

The relationship between the legislature and the media is central to the flourishing of democracy.  Welcoming the press into the heart of parliamentary discourse, as you have done here, is an acknowledgement of the rapidly maturing relationship between the press and Nepal’s elected representatives.   And that relationship will be nurtured in this very impressive room.

It is important to realize that this Media Center is not merely a handy room with a podium and lots of electronic equipment. Nor is it just a convenient place to hold press conferences. The center is a symbol, and a promise of a more dynamic relationship to come.  Located in the basement of this historic building – resting at its foundation – it is a symbol of the relationship between the people’s representatives and the press.  It is a symbol of the continuing democratic evolution in Nepal – and of the willingness of this Parliament to transparently serve and inform its constituents – the Nepali people.   And it is also a symbol of the fundamental role of the press in a democratic Nepal – to honestly and critically relay and analyze the debates and decisions of Parliament, now and in the future.

In the days and weeks ahead, as the media works more closely with legislators, and hears their views and engages them in discussion to understand the political debates of the day, I know that the nation will benefit and the Nepali people will have more, and better, information as they seek to make wise choices about their role in the Constitutional development process.

I also see this media center as offering an opportunity.  It is an opportunity for the  voices of the many legislators who represent Nepal’s diverse and dynamic communities to speak, and to be heard.   It is an opportunity to ensure that the laws and policies that emanate from the Parliament will be subject to thoughtful and reasoned review and criticism.  And it gives the members of the media the opportunity to demonstrate to the people of Nepal their commitment to provide accurate and honest reporting as well as  objective analysis.  

From this podium, the members of this Parliament  have an immense power to inform and persuade. You are the people’s representatives. You speak for this nation’s 30 million citizens.  But before you can speak for them, it is necessary to listen; listen to their desire for a better life and a better future for their children, hear their dreams of a future of peace,  and, in particular, understand their fears that the sacrifices and horrors of a decade of insurgency will not yield the new democratic nation that is yet to fully emerge . 

From this microphone you have the honor and privilege of helping to share a newly emerging nation with your constituents.  You can share with them the work of parliament; the decision to build new roads that helps farmers get their goods to market or new schools that will produce the next generation of leaders.  You can explain your role in shaping new laws that end discrimination and laws that protect the rights of all this nation’s citizens.   

As for the media, you will have the chance in this room to hear from legislators, question them and engage them in discussion on behalf of your readers.  The chance to ask them tough questions that will ensure that all dimensions of a story are shared with the public. 

 Again, I offer my congratulations to the Speaker and the Parliament Secretariat, and thank you, and all our colleagues assembled here, for your role in making this Media Center a reality.  Our goal in supporting the media center was to enrich debate and discussion, and to ensure that information is shared and disseminated, so that the people of Nepal are given the facts they need to make informed decisions about their future.  Whether that goal will be realized is now up to you, the members of the Parliament and of the media.  I am confident you will be up to the task. 

Thank you.