Nepal Appreciative Inquiry National Network (NAINN)

Second National Summit of Imagine Initiatives of Nepal

Kharipati, Bhaktapur; 6-8 September, 2005

Declaration

Background

Change has been taking place in the world’s politics, economics, social, cultural and many other aspects. And Nepal is not alienated either. In the present crucial condition of Nepal, everything is getting changed. Even the tendencies, thoughts, beliefs are being changed. Most of the people are desperate, upset and loosing hopes of good. The whole world is suffered too much from the destruction and violence. Therefore, it is urgent to divert the pessimistic tendencies of the people into hopefulness, into positive and into innovation. Since Appreciative Inquiry (AI) can be the best, cheapest, easy way to convert the thorny path into the path of flowers, Nepal Appreciative Inquiry National Network (NAINN) has been utilizing its strength and skill to transform the society positively through AI by forming Imagine Initiatives. The Imagine Initiatives already formed and those in the process of formation are to be strengthened. They should share their success and also should be energized from others success. Being together all over from the country, we have to inquire what we have. Then, we should have a shared dream of prosperous new Nepal.

The above background and propose, NAINN held The second national Summit of Imagine initiatives of Nepal (SNSIIN ) successfully from September 6-8, 2005 at Kharipati, Bhaktapur, with the great vision of societal transformation, and aiming to extend the imagine initiatives throughout the country.Sixty Fiveparticipants from different Imagine Initiatives as well as organization applying AI were presence in the Summit. With the commitment of recognizing the live giving forces ofNepal and Nepalese people and apply it for the entire societal transformation, the second National Summit of Imagine Initiatives has declared the Bhaktapur Declaration. All the Imagine Initiatives will be guided from the first Banepa Declaration and will continue the second Banepa Declaration as well.

The grounding principle, organizational principle, objectives of the networks and imagine initiatives are the same as it was declared from the First National Summit of Imagine Initiatives of Nepal (FNSIIN) and will be carried on. The Second Summit has further clarified and added some issues.

Objectives of the National Summit

  • To formulate NAINN program and policies for coming year
  • To makeconceptual clarity and uniformity on the issues related with appreciative inquiry movement.
  • To consolidate the practice of egalitarian organizational principles on the basis of the past experiences.
  • To share the success stories of the Imagine Initiatives so that they would encourage others.

The NAINN is extremely proud for the valuable presence of Prof. David Cooperrider, the profounder of Appreciative Inquiry, in the closing ceremony of the summit.

The national summit would like to clarify some of the following issues, not defined from the first Banepa Declaration.

  • AI is a positive thought which believes on holistic Approach, it deals with all aspects of life and society.
  • Network believes that the indigenous knowledge, skill and technology are to be considered as the foundation for the societal transformation through appreciative inquiry.
  • The valid sources of appreciative inquiry are the people, place, ethnic group as well as all the social group or strata existing from the very beginning of the society.

Some more social variable are defined as follows:

  1. Occupation

Regarding the occupation, NAINN believes that there is any demarcation in terms of value and contribution. Despite the diversities i.e. skilled, semi skilled, vocational or modern whatever, all occupations are dignified and respected in their own context. Moreover they are regarded autonomous as they are their own center.

  1. Ethnicity

In connection with the issue of ethnicity, NAINN believes that community people living in minority, majority, and aboriginal,ethnic or vocational group whoever they are, they have their own self center. They have their own right of protection, development and any kind of choices whatever they like; however, there exists mutual understanding, interdependency and cooperation which has been leading the society towards betterment.

  1. Language and Culture

Each and every language and culture followed by any group of people having difference in caste, ethnicity are regarded equally important. All these are enriched in their context. NAINN respects the cultural diversities which are the valuable assets of the nation.

  1. Belief and Religion

Individual, family, group, community, caste, tribe, society and organizations all theycould have their own religious and cultural beliefs. Indeed, they have their own identities. They do not need to accept as their center to the others' religion, as they are self governed and self centered as well. They should be treated equally, also it is expected that there should be recognition and acceptance among each other, which ultimately creates social harmony, peace and development.

  1. Gender Issue

NAINN shows its' solidarity to the Nepalese women who are struggling against the gender discrimination caused by patriarchy and any other reason, aiming to achieve social justice and equity. The social transformation is only possible if male and female participate equally in the process. In the same way, male or female should not be treated as superior or inferior. The differences in their respective situation are socially constructed but not because of by birth. In fact, male and female, whoever they would, have their own center. The relationship between them should be guided by the egalitarian principle. The interdependency and cooperation are to be taken as the major components for the positive societal transformation.

  1. Institutional and Organizational Relationship

Apart from the Regional, Districts and other Imagine Initiatives, the organizations, networks working in the field of social and economic development, accepting the appreciative inquiry approach, they can be affiliated in district, regional and national level of AI network as well. In addition, there is always an opportunity of collaboration and partnership with different non governmental and governmental organizations working for social and economic development.

Further clarity on some of the points mentioned in Banepa Declaration

  • The regional Network is also supposed to be autonomous. They are the primarily responsible in coordinating all the Imagine Initiatives under that concerned region.
  • The regional Network consists the representatives from the all imagine initiatives of that respective region. The NAINN executives will be the members of Regional Network automatically.

Summary

In this way, the Second National Summit has given emphasized on the assumptions, principles and activities declared from the First National Summit. Moreover, it has incorporated some new definitions and made clarification on some of the relevant issues. This declaration will be the guiding document up to the time next national summit. And lastly, It is to notify to all that that this is the authentic document to be followed by AI practitioner, facilitators and wishers.

Propositions

  1. The summit acknowledges all the positive achievements seen in different area i.e. social, economic, cultural, political, also respects the new innovation, research and any kind of positive changes taking place in the society by the hard work of Nepalese people.
  1. The summits hearty welcomes to the one sided seizefire declared by CPN (Maoist) and also urges to all stakeholders to be more serious regarding the restoration of peace in the country.
  1. The summit strongly expresses its support and solidarity to the civil society for their effort made for the restoration of socially inclusive democracy.
  1. The summit urges to all stakeholders to respect the fundamental human rights to be serious and responsible in this regards.
  1. The summit express itssolidarity towards the voice of social inclusiveness and appeals to all for the protection and cultivation of positive achievements.

12. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

  1. The Summit is immensely grateful to Dr. David L. Cooperrider, Professor of Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University, USA, for his valuable presence in the summit and endow with guiding suggestion to move forward the campaign , NAINN carrying on. The Summit is grateful to Prof. David.
  1. The Summit would like to thank Mr. Daniel Cooperrider and Amit Kovoor for their research on AI in Nepal and NAINN’s modality to work with AI for the positive societal transformation. The summit is also grateful to them for sharing their knowledge about how AI is used in the countries around the world.
  1. The Summitis indebted to Dr. Mac Odell and Linda Fairburn for their presence in the Summit and sharing their valuable knowledge about knowledge. The summit thanks both of them for their interest to know about NAINN, and for their interest to lend a hand to NAINN in whatever way they can.
  1. The Summit offers hearty Thanks to Ronal Fry, Director of MBA Department, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University, USA; Ms. Dawn Dole, Knowledge Manager, Appreciative Inquiry Commons, Weatherhead School of Management, CaseWestern ReserveUniversity for their regular moral and technical support. Similarly, the Summit is thankful to Ms. Bliss Browne, Chairperson of Imagine Chicago, USA and Ms. Diana Whitney for their regular moral and technical support.
  1. The Summit is grateful to Mr. , Chief District Officer of Bhaktapur District, Mrs. Bhagawati Nepal, Vice Chairperson of NGO Federation of Nepal, Mr. Krishna Prasad Sapkota, Chairperson of Federation of District Development Committee of Nepal and for inauguration of Summit and for expressing the words to follow AI in their life of organization.
  1. The summit is thankful to Mr. Subodh Pyakural, Human rights activist, Karna Shakya, an exemplary man of positive thinking and Tourism professional and all the guests who could add energy to NAINN being present in the Closing Ceremony of the Summit.
  1. The Summit is very much indebted to NGO Federation of Nepal, for its managerial and other various support for publication of “Banepa Declaration”
  1. Special thanks goes to Thami Bhomjan for being present in the summit and inaugurating it representing the whole mass of hardworking and low invome level people who live truly on their own toil.
  1. The Summit would like to thank the journalistfor their genuine support in dissemination the Summit Event in national and local media.
  1. Similarly, thanks to Mr. Pratik Nyesur for VDO recording and photograph;Nepal Electricity Authority, TrainingCenter for providing lodging, fooding and summit hall to make the Summit success.
  1. At the end, thank you very much for all the participants those who participated and contributed to happen the Second National Summit of Imagine Initiatives of Nepal. Deliver

WE, THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE SECONDNATIONAL SUMMIT OF IMAGINE INITIATIVES OF NEPAL ORGANIZED BY NEPAL APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY NATIONAL NETWORK FROM 6-8 SEPTEMBER,2005 AT BHAKTAPUR,NEPAL, ARE COMMITTED TO DEVLIVER THE ABOVE DECLARATION.

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