People's Exchanges
The 100th Anniversary of Nepali Students in Japan
Speech by Dr. Gajendra Baniya Chhetri, President of JUSAN
on the Occasion of the Commemorative Ceremony
of the 100th Anniversary of the First Nepali Students in Japan
and Demonstration of Tea Ceremony
September 27, 2002
Rt. Honorable Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Madam Deuba
Rt. Honorable Chief Justice
Rt. Honorable Chairman of Rajparisad
Honorable Ministers
Your Excellencies Mr. Zenji Kaminaga and Madam Kaminaga
Grand Master of Tea Ceremony and his delegation
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
On behalf of the Embassy of Japan and Japan University Students' Association, Nepal (JUSAN), first of all I would like to express my hearty thanks and gratitude to the Rt. Honorable Prime Minister Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba for kindly gracing today's ceremony commemorating the 100th anniversary of Nepali students as they started their higher studies in Japan, in spite of his busy schedule.
I also express my hearty thanks to all the distinguished guests for kindly attending this historic event and making it a grand success. I would like to thank the Grand Master of the Tea Ceremony Mr. Jochi Yabunouchi and his delegation who have come here all the way from Japan particularly for this occasion. Today many of us have a rare opportunity to see the famous traditional culture of Japan that is the 'Tea Ceremony'.
The association of Japan-returned students was established thirty years ago and was reorganized again named Japan University Students' Association, Nepal (JUSAN) to make it more active in promoting relations between the two countries- Nepal and Japan.
Last year when I attended the first reunion of former students in Japan held in Tokyo, I came to know that our association JUSAN was the most active alumni association among the Japan-returned students' association in Southwest Asia.
In this historic 100-year celebration, we planted the fruits and flowers in many places that were brought and planted here originally by one of the first eight students a hundred years ago. This ceremony was started in April this year by organizing a symposium in the Embassy of Japan and tree plantation in different places of Kathmandu. A similar symposium programme was organized in Japan, too.
For all of our successful programmes I especially, on behalf of JUSAN and myself, would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to the Embassy of Japan which has been tirelessly extending cooperation and encouragement. Particularly I wish to express my hearty thanks and gratitude to His Excellency Mr. Zenji Kaminaga without whose cooperation and support this anniversary on such a grand scale would not have been possible. I also extend our thanks to the cultural secretary, Mr. Takashi Yokoyama, for his hard work and cooperation in making this anniversary progress and succeed.
Lastly, I thank all participants attending today's event - 100th anniversary ceremony - for making it a memorable one in Nepal-Japan history.
Thank you.
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