'Be there if you care' peace walk:
On 2nd March we organized a peace walk addressing the war in Iraq. It was a colorful procession rather than an angry mob of protestors. The people who took part included not just the youth from different schools and colleges in Katmandu, but also adults from different fields of life. With the didgerie doo leading us with its peaceful notes, the rally went from Patan Durbar Square to Katmandu Durbar Square via Patan Dohoka and Tripureshwor. It allowed many to raise their voices against violence and state their stand on the war.

Waveevent - Call for Peace/Love
YIP took part in the waveevent of March and performed a reading of an original script by an Indian student at Columbia University. The script focused on the partition of 1947, and the deep divide between Muslims and Hindus all over the world. In the creative event that mostly focused on Nepal, YIP's reading brought in an issue that incorporated the need of regional peace in it as well.

Shanti Ka Yuva is an effort to continue the YIP movement here in Nepal. Before organizing a big camp on a national scale, we felt that it would be better to reach out to the youth in Katmandu first and form a network here that will help make our future ventures more successful. We hope to bring together a diversity of young people here to a common ground where they learn to share, experience, and communicate. Apart from lectures and workshops, relevant documentaries and films will also be screened during the camp that will further motivate the participants.

Objectives for Shanti ka Yuva:
" Spread the YIP movement/message among the diversity of youth here in Katmandu.
" To help participants understand how their creative skills can be used to bring about positive change in the society. Main focus on writing and theatre.
" To give the participants a better understanding of Nepal's contemporary politics and social state.
" To work on a big art piece that will convey our message and will be put on display for public viewing. We have in mind a 'Peace Tree'.
" To encourage the youth to feel and work for social issues prevalent in the community, which eventually leads to maintaining peace.

List of tentative guest speakers and workshop holders:

Kanak Dixit - Contemporary Politics
Kunda Dixit - Media
Rinku Dutta and Imran - Theatre workshop
Shruti Debi - Writing workshop
Punyasheel Gautam and Kreepa Joshi - Art / Peace Tree

Venue - Staff College Lalitpur, and the Yala Maya Kendra (patan)

Funded by - UNICEF