Event Report (World Plaza - Nepal Edition)
World Plaza ~Nepal~
On Sunday, December 12th, the international exchange event "World Plaza" was held at the Ono Minami Community Center. This time, we welcomed Pun Pushpa, a Nepalese native who lives in Sagamihara City, as the lecturer, and introduced Nepal, a country that is said to be the roof of the world, has the world's highest peak, Mt. Everest, on its borders, as well as the Himalayas, and is a country where magnificent nature and diverse cultures blend together, fascinating people from all over the world.
In her lecture, she began by talking about the diverse culture of Nepal. She said that over 1.8 million people live in Nepal, a small country about 3000 times the size of Hokkaido, and that the country's 125 diverse ethnic groups coexist and prosper while respecting each other's cultures, customs, religions, etc. There are no conflicts due to ethnic or religious differences in the country, and everyone lives in peace.
Regarding the life of the Nepalese people, the family structure is still generally large, the father supports the family financially, the mother is in charge of housework and taking care of the children, and the grandparents pass on traditions and wisdom to their children. They value mutual respect, support, and help. In addition, it is common for people to eat meals twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, and to have only a snack for lunch, which is why there is no school lunch system.
In the education system, compulsory education is elementary school (1st to 5th grade), followed by junior high school (6th to 8th grade), high school (9th to 12th grade), and university (higher education). There is a disparity in educational opportunities between urban and rural areas, and the government is working to correct this.
The attraction of Nepal is undoubtedly the Himalayan mountain range, with its towering mountains over 8000 meters above sea level, including the world's highest peak, Mt. Everest, and visitors are overwhelmed by the majestic scenery and natural beauty. In the capital city of Kathmandu and other towns and villages in Nepal, you can experience a wide variety of cultures and traditions, and the warm hospitality of the Nepalese people is also a major attraction.
Finally, as gestures are often used as a way of expression among Nepalese people, a quiz was held in which participants were asked to guess what the gestures expressed, resulting in a fun learning experience of a part of Nepalese culture as the event came to a close.
