FNJ Europe chapter formed

The first annual general meeting of the Europe chapter of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) has elected a new executive committee unanimously.

The meeting, held in Paris on Sunday, elected Mahesh Thapa as chairman, Laxman Devkota as senior vice chairman, Pushpa Baruwal and Kejin Rai as vice chairman, Prakash Dhakal as Secretary, Jangam Khadka as Joint Secretary and Anuradha Poudel as Treasurer.

Similarly, Nirajan Shrestha, Tek Nepali, Saraswoti Karki, Binod Ghimire, Binod Khakurel and Dip Jyoti Poudel have been elected as members. Om Sharma, Dilliram Amgai, Sudarshan Simkhada, Bhim KC and Baburam Bhusal have been elected as central representative from the Chapter.

Dadi Sapkota has been designated as patron of the FNJ Europe chapter.

Coordinator of the Election Committee, Shashi Poudel, handed over the certificate to the office bearers and members of the FNJ chapter amidst a ceremony. He wished all success of the new executive committee.

Nepalese ambassador to France, Mohan K Shrestha, and chairman of the FNJ, Shiva Gaunle, inaugurating the first AGM of the FNJ Europe in Paris.

Earlier, Nepalese ambassador to France, Mohan Krishna Shrestha, and central chairman of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Shiva Gaunle jointly inaugurated the opening ceremony. Addressing the ceremony, ambassador Shrestha welcomed all the delegates of the FNJ Europe to Paris and said he was happy to meet Nepali journalists from all over Europe in France.

Saying that media is a powerful tool to transform the society, he, however, said that the power of media should not be abused to fulfil vested interests. He urged media personnel to use their creative talents to highlight and address problems being faced by the Nepali diaspora in Europe and elsewhere.

Chairman of the FNJ, Shiva Gaunle, said journalists based outside Nepal needed to work to promote the interests of Nepal and Nepalese as well as the local Nepalese community where they were based. Saying that good journalism helps to reduce conflict in a society, Gaunle said people even in remote areas of Nepal are now capable to ask questions and the credit must go to the media. He urged media personnel to show respect to the institutions that were representing the state abroad. He expressed hope that FNJ Europe won’t forget the plight of journalists who were working in remote regions like Karnali in Nepal.

Advisor of the FNJ Europe chapter ad hoc committee, Bhagirath Yogi, central representative of the FNJ UK chapter, Dipak Neupane, senior vice president of the FNJ UK chapter Chiran Sharma spoke about the role Nepali diaspora media were playing in different parts of the world and constraints they were facing.

The programme was followed by a colourful cultural programme. Tamu dhee France, Nepali Ekta Samaj France and Pakofen France had helped in organising the programme.

Ambassador Mohan Krishna Shrestha later hosted a dinner reception in honour of all the delegates of the FNJ Europe and visiting journalists at his residence. nepalnews.com