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Esperanto Course Launches at Koteshwar Multiple Campus, Jadibuti, Kathmandu

• Gaun Sahar Reporter
• 24 Nov, Sunday, 2024 | 18:55:00 Published

Kathmandu: The Department of Rural Development (Faculty of Rural Development, Sociology, and Mass Communication) has organized a 20-hour non-credit course on Esperanto, the neutral international language. This initiative is officially supported by Koteshwar Multiple Campus and represents a significant step toward fostering linguistic diversity and international understanding.

The formal inauguration ceremony was held Saturday morning. Mr. Manoj Adhikari, Head of the Department of Rural Development, welcomed the participants with warm and encouraging remarks.

The event's chief guest, Mr. Govinda Bahadur Karki, Principal of the campus, delivered an insightful speech emphasizing the importance of Esperanto as a neutral international language and shedding light on its rich history. Prof. Dr. Bharat Kumar Upadhaya, Secretary of the Nepal Esperanto Association, inspired the audience with a compelling lecture about Zamenhof, the founder of Esperanto, and encouraged students for deeply learning the language.

The course instructor, Bharat Kumar Ghimire, an Assistant Professor at the same campus, provided an introduction to the fundamentals of Esperanto and patiently addressed various questions from participants. The program was skillfully moderated by Mr. Padam Raj Joshi, another Assistant Professor at the campus. Following the formal proceedings, the first session of the course was conducted. The classes will continue to be held every Saturday until the course concludes.

Upon completion of the course, all students will be awarded an official certificate from the campus. This pioneering initiative aims to expand the community of Esperanto speakers within Nepal and beyond. Remarkably, of the 50 participants enrolled, nearly all are under the age of 25, highlighting the increasing interest among young people in this unique and universal language. This is particularly noteworthy in light of the global concern about declining language learning trends.

This marks a historic milestone in the Esperanto movement in Nepal, as it is the first time an official Esperanto course is being organized at an academic institution since the introduction of the language in 1957. The course is offered free of charge, with all teaching materials generously subsidized by the campus. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Chief Administrator, Mr. Nhuchhe Lal Maharjan, for his crucial role in preparing the instructional materials.

Special thanks also go to Assistant Professors Lekha Nath Ghimire, Govinda Katwal, Sabitri Dhakal (Head of the English Department), and Rudra Prasad Bhattarai for their invaluable support and active participation in making this project a success.

The Association said, "Finally, we express our sincere appreciation to the entire Koteshwar Multiple Campus family for their unwavering dedication and commitment to promoting Esperanto and fostering a spirit of global communication and understanding."