Ambassador Moriarty Remarks for Grand Opening of SSK Bhairahawa

October 27, 2005

Mr. Ram Shankar Kandu, President Siddharthanagar Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
Mr. Chandra Man Shrestha, Community Information Center Coordinator and Vice President SCCI;
Immediate Past President Omkar Gauchan;
Mr. Dilip Bhattarai, President of Nepal American Friendship Association;
SCCI board members;
Ladies and gentlemen:

I am pleased to be with you today in Bhairahawa.  My last trip to the region was in December 2004 when I visited Lumbini.  At that time, I had a quick tour of the Samudaik Sambandha Kendra – which had been open nearly one year. Now that the Community Information Center has been going strong for more than 19 months, it seems strange to finally do a “Grand Opening.”  Perhaps instead we can think of our ceremony today as a celebration of the good work that you already have done and a re-affirmation that the center is a vital part of the community in Bhairahawa.

For instance, I know that more than 4,500 people attended the book fair that you arranged in early October.  The pictures I saw were fantastic: hundreds of school students lined up to look at books, interested in the United States and eager to improve their English and learn about studying in the USA.  It’s especially pleasing to see the engagement of so many young people.  Youth are not only the future of the nation; they are its present as well.  And when adults reach out to children and share their experiences of community involvement and love of learning, young people are encouraged to be leaders.

Love of learning and community involvement are the heart of the Embassy’s Community Information Centers.  We have five of them in Nepal, the latest just opened a few months ago in Birgunj.  We call them our American Corners.  They are places within already respected institutions – such as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry – where we can offer information in English about the United States and the democratic ideals our country was founded on.  Along with our American Library in Kathmandu, these Samudaik Sambandha Kendras offer information for democracy, peace, and prosperity.

Libraries are centers of power.  In an open and pluralistic society, libraries give the people access to information, knowledge of different ideas, and opportunities for creative thought of their own.  Our Community Information Centers are full of books, magazines, videos, and even more resources through the Internet.  While resources alone won’t bring democracy, peace, and prosperity, they will equip people with the information to fight for their rights.

Poll after poll tells us that Nepalis want democracy, but what does that mean?  Information centers like this one can offer people a way to learn about every aspect of governance – from applying civil rights to appreciating the lessons of history.

The Community Information Center also offers fun and useful resources.  We have videos about American music and shelves full of creative fiction for book lovers.  We have English teaching materials and offer TOEFL preparation books.  We have information on the new Diversity Visa and reference books on American companies for those thinking about starting a new business.  All under one roof.

I also hope that the center will be a place where more and more people gather to exchange ideas and share knowledge.  We often learn just as much from other people as we do from books, and the center exists for the benefit of this community.

So now I challenge you and my Embassy colleagues to continue the work.  Nineteen months into this partnership, we have an information center to be proud of, many members who visit, and outreach to the community.  What more can we do?  Plenty.  Movie shows, talk programs, music concerts, and youth discussion groups – the list of possibilities is endless.  Anything that gets people talking, sharing, thinking, and reading is exciting.

With hope for our continued success, I hereby declare this Samudaik Sambandha Kendra officially open.  Best wishes and sincere appreciation to our partners.

Thank you.