Kathmandu - Her Excellency Veronique Lorenzo, Ambassador of the European Union to Nepal, has strongly advocated for an educational and artistic shift toward community dialogue, interactive learning, and social advancement.  

Speaking as the Guest of Honour at the formal welcome ceremony for the third residential batch of the Mandala Drama School (MDS), Ambassador Lorenzo highlighted the critical role of grassroots creativity in addressing systemic issues like poverty and discrimination across Nepal.  

Grounding Art in Societal Realities addressing the newly selected 15 students representing all seven provinces, Ambassador Lorenzo emphasized that artistic pursuits should not exist in a vacuum.  

"Creativity really matters. Creativity is part and parcel of a society," Ambassador Lorenzo stated. "There is no art in the disconnect. Truly effective art needs to be grounded, have roots in the society. Especially in a country like Nepal, where there is still so much poverty, so much discrimination, so much work to be done socially for social advancement—this needs to be linked to social work."  

The 18-month residential program is funded under the EU's Project RANGA (Reclaiming Advocacy through Narratives, Debates, Grassroot Theatre and Arts). The initiative operates as part of the broader "Team Europe" framework, building upon previous drama school iterations initially supported by German cooperation (GIZ).  

Drawing from the European Union's 25-year history of supporting basic education in Nepal, the Ambassador delivered a sharp critique of conventional, instruction-based schooling. She lauded Mandala’s practice-driven approach for breaking away from memory-based learning models.  

"One of the main problems has been the quality [of education]. Why? Because a lot of it is by rote learning. A lot of it is by instruction," she noted. "And this needs to change. It will only change if you have a base, a foundation of young people who understand that interaction, this dialogue, is what stimulates the intellect."  

The Ambassador reminded the incoming cohort that their upcoming 18 months of intensive training carry a profound civic responsibility. Under the project structure, the students will eventually return to their home communities with a special developmental focus on provinces like Sudurpashchim, Karnali, and Madhesh to act as catalysts for change.  

"These 18 months will give you power, will give you empowerment, will transform you," Ambassador Lorenzo told the trainees. "And then you have the obligation to transmit this, in whatever shape or form, as educators, as directors, as writers, as actors... to your communities."  

Concluding her address during the final weeks of her diplomatic tenure in the country, the Ambassador shared a heartfelt connection to the nation, promising to return to watch the batch's final performance upon their graduation in 18 months. 

यो पनि पढ्नुहोस

India has always pursued positive relations with Nepal : Bhatta