WWF-UK organises memorial service for Taplejung crash victims

Charge d' Affairs of the Embassy of Nepal in London Dipendra Pratap Bista attended a memorial service on November 17 of Dr. Jill Bowling Schlaepfer and Jennifer Headley, killed in the helicopter crash in the Ghunsa area of Taplejung district along with 22 other people on 23 September 2006.

Organised by WWF-UK, the memorial service was held in the presence of HRH Princess Alexandra at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul at the WWF-UK Headquarter at Godalming, Surrey, UK.

According to the ministry of foreign affairs, representatives from the WWF, diplomats from Nepal, Canada, Australia, Switzerland and Finland, Mayor of Godalming and the relatives and friends of the deceased attended the programme. On the occasion, the Chief Executive of the WWF-UK, Robert Napier remembered Dr. Jill Bowling Schlaepfer and Jennifer Headley. The former Director- General of WWF international, Dr. Claude Martin spoke about Dr. Chandra Prasad Gurung, Dr. Harka Gurung, Yeshi Choden Lama, Mingma Norbu Sherpa and Matthew Preece who were also killed in the helicopter crash at Ghunsa. The Secretary General of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, Marti Palmer, remembered the remaining others who were killed in the crash.

Similarly, Rodolophe Schlaepfer, husband of Dr. Schlaepfer and Kathleen Headley, mother of Miss Bowling also remembered their dead family members. Prayers, hymns and readings from the four faiths (Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Mormon) were recited during the Church services. nepalnews.com ia Nov 20 06