Press Release: Newa AmericanDabu(NAD)inChicago celebrated World Newah Day.

Enepalese Published on: April 2, 2019

March 30,2019,Newa American Dabu (NAD) inChicago celebrated World Newah Day at Evanston Public Library in Evanston, Illinois.

The program began with around 75-80 attendees writing their names in Ranjana Lipi.Oncetheguestswereallseated,theywereentertainedbytheopeningtunesof Dhime and Bhushya played byMs.MayaByanjankar,Mr.AbhayByanjankar,and Mr. Kiran Byanjankar. After the tunes of the traditional Newah instruments, Mr. Uday Maharjan, president ofNewaAmericanDabu,welcomedallthegueststothe 2nd World Newah Day program organized by Newa American Dabu in Chicago. In his short welcome speech, Mr. Maharjan highlighted the importance of preserving and promoting Nepal Bhasa (Newah language), Newah culture and traditions in the communities that we live in. He also informed the guests that World Newah Day is celebrated all around the world in unity.Then,theMasterof the Ceremony, Mr. Bibek Shrestha invited Mrs. Shanti Kharel Byanjankar to the stage to launch the English translated version of the novel “Sankalpa”, originally written in Nepal Bhasa by author Shashikala Manandhar.

After the felicitation, Mrs. Shanti Kharel Byanjankar gave a short speech on the joy and gratitude to be able to bring the English translated book, “Sankalpa” to a wideraudience.Thebooklaunchwasfollowedbydistributionof“TokenofLove”, a Newa American Dabu coffee mug, by Mr. Uday Maharjan to cultural program performers from the past NAD programs. The next set of “Token of Love” were given to individuals who contributed in making 2018 summer Newa class by Chicago Newah School successful. These gifts of appreciation were handed by Honorary Consulate General of Nepal, Mr. Marvin Brustin to Chicago Newah school students, teachers, volunteers, coordinator, andthevenuehostfortheNewa class.

With the completion of the first part of the World Newah Day program, Samay Baji (Newah food dish) was served to the guests on a self-pay basis.

The second phase of the program consisted of cultural program including song by Mr. Binaya Shrestha, and dances by Ms. Ayushka Joshi and Ms. Suzanne Shahi Khadgi. At the end of the cultural program, an impromptu Dhime and Bhushya performance by the collective group of 4 NAD executive members (Mr. Anup Shrestha, Mr. Bishal Manandhar, Mr. Uday Maharjan, and Mr. Kiran Byanjankar) filled the room with excitement.

Towards the end of the program,Mr.BibekShresthathankedallthehelpinghands that made World Newah Day 2019, organized byNewaAmericanDabuasuccess. And the program ended with a group picture of alltheattendees,whoweremostly present in traditional Newa attire.

The event was graced by the presence of Honorary Consul General of Nepal, Mr. Mr. Marvin A. Brustin.

Newa American Dabu (NAD)establishedin2010,isaNewaorganizationbasedin Chicago, IL. NAD is a non-profit, educational, social, and cultural organizationof Newa people in Chicago and its supporters and well-wishers in the United States and abroad. The mission of NAD is to conserve, preserve, and promote the Newa language, cultural heritage, tradition, and customs.