VAST Bhutan http://www.vast-bhutan.org breaking boundaries through art... since 1998 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:59:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 en VastBhutanhttp://feedburner.google.com Smithsonian Folklife Festival in VAST - Photo Exhibition http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VastBhutan/~3/0JQMkZhj-1I/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/08/05/smithsonian-folklife-festival-in-vast-photo-exhibition/#comments Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:59:20 +0000 Gelay http://www.vast-bhutan.org/?p=192 ]]> http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/08/05/smithsonian-folklife-festival-in-vast-photo-exhibition/feed/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/08/05/smithsonian-folklife-festival-in-vast-photo-exhibition/ Smithsonian Folklife Festival in VAST http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VastBhutan/~3/07g8GAfdii0/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/30/smithsonian-folklife-festival-in-vast/#comments Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:49:47 +0000 Gelay http://www.vast-bhutan.org/?p=145  

You are cordially invited to an exhibit of

PHOTOGRAPHS & VIDEO 

from the recent

Smithsonian Folklife Festival 

in Washington, DC

——————–

To be held at 

VAST

on Tuesday, August 5th

From 3pm-11pm

Admission: Free

Cash Bar Available

(photographs will be on display through August 11)

 

]]> http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/30/smithsonian-folklife-festival-in-vast/feed/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/30/smithsonian-folklife-festival-in-vast/ Her Majesty the Queen Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck visits VAST http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VastBhutan/~3/S4imlHRdraA/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/24/her-majesty-the-queen-ashi-tshering-yangdon-wangchuck-visits-vast/#comments Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:55:30 +0000 Gelay http://www.vast-bhutan.org/?p=141 Her Majesty Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck in VAST

Her Majesty Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck in VAST

Her Majesty the Queen Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck graced us with an informal visit to our studio this afternoon. Her Majesty met with all the senior members, and offered words of encouragement. Her Majesty pointed out the general lack of support towards artists, but urged us to strive on. Her Majesty also made a contribution to our fund. Asha Kama on behalf of VAST, offered to her Majesty,  a ceramic vase which was made by Mayiesh.

This is Her Majesty’s third visit.

]]> http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/24/her-majesty-the-queen-ashi-tshering-yangdon-wangchuck-visits-vast/feed/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/24/her-majesty-the-queen-ashi-tshering-yangdon-wangchuck-visits-vast/ Off to Tsirang http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VastBhutan/~3/0cDlVteLVk4/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/08/off-to-tsirang/#comments Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:49:27 +0000 Gelay http://www.vast-bhutan.org/?p=136 Today, 34 of us are leaving for Tsirang for our summer art camp. In Tsirang we will be joined by another 65 students. We will be back in Thimphu on the 14 July.

Tsirang, here we come…

]]> http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/08/off-to-tsirang/feed/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/08/off-to-tsirang/ Asha Kama at the Smithsonian http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VastBhutan/~3/vLVqfamMy-0/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/08/asha-kama-at-the-smithsonian/#comments Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:34:50 +0000 Gelay http://www.vast-bhutan.org/?p=135 Asha Kama is a member of the Bhutanese delegation to the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival in Washington DC. Here are some links to pictures of Asha Kama at the festival (thanks Li-Ping).

Click on the links below to view picture:

Pic 1|Pic 2|Pic 3|Pic 4|Pic 5|Pic 6|Pic 7|Pic 8

 

]]> http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/08/asha-kama-at-the-smithsonian/feed/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/08/asha-kama-at-the-smithsonian/ Golden Youth Award http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VastBhutan/~3/LmMLoNnJHq4/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/06/golden-youth-award/#comments Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:31:05 +0000 Gelay http://www.vast-bhutan.org/?p=134 The Golden Youth Award is a neat idea of the Bhutan Youth Development Fund (YDF):

  • To establish a system of recognizing for notable achievements by youth.
  • To motivate youth to be outstanding.
  • To identify potential leaders for a new and challenging political environment.

The Golden Youth Award will be given to the youths who demonstrate outstanding achievements not only in academics but also in other categories such as sports, artistic, leadership, cultural and social contribution. Young people of Bhutan have always held a special place in our Monarch’s heart therefore, the golden youth award besides being a tribute to His Majesty the 4th King is also to recognize and motivate youth who reveal leadership and outstanding qualities.

A week long “Golden Youth Camp” for 10 youth for each dzongkhag, for the final selection of the award winners, started off today at the brand new Jigme Singye Wangchuck Youth Center here in Thimphu.

VAST is privileged to participate in this Golden Youth Camp as art competition organizers. The VAST team is led by VAST member Dorji Gyeltshen.

]]> http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/06/golden-youth-award/feed/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/07/06/golden-youth-award/ Stanford in VAST http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VastBhutan/~3/znQ3o858By4/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/06/28/stanford-in-vast/#comments Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:10:22 +0000 Gelay http://www.vast-bhutan.org/?p=133 Professor Mark Mancall from Stanford University always visits VAST with his students when he is leading trips to Bhutan. Some of the students visited VAST this afternoon while we were practicing some new games for the upcoming summer camp at Tsirang. They joined us in our games, and also taught us a few.

Over chai, they asked us a lot of questions about democracy in Bhutan, and Gross National Happiness. Most of our answers were “dont know”.

]]> http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/06/28/stanford-in-vast/feed/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/06/28/stanford-in-vast/ Preparing for summer camp in Tsirang http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VastBhutan/~3/j4FzLk3PhYI/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/06/28/reparing-for-the-summer-camp-in-tsirang/#comments Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:09:05 +0000 Gelay http://www.vast-bhutan.org/?p=126 An afternoon filled with fun and laughter as Kueron taught us new games; games that we will be playing with the other participants at the summer camp in Tsirang starting from July 8. Kueron, a long time VAST member, teaches at the Early Learning Center here in Thimphu. She learnt all these fun games from iDiscoveri.

Halfway through the afternoon, a group of Stanford students dropped by, and joined us in our games adding to the fun.

> Additional pictures on flickr by Li-ping

]]> http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/06/28/reparing-for-the-summer-camp-in-tsirang/feed/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/06/28/reparing-for-the-summer-camp-in-tsirang/ Ambassador of Bangladesh visits VAST, and other news http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VastBhutan/~3/FsArzZJRHxg/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/06/27/ambassador-of-bangladesh-visits-vast-and-other-news/#comments Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:58:45 +0000 Gelay http://www.vast-bhutan.org/?p=113 Child survival - Art work from the competition

On the 23rd of June, VAST was asked to judge an art competiton. The National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC) had organized a nation wide art competition among school children to mark the launch of the State of the World’s Children Report, to be launched on the 9th of July. There were more than 200 entries.

 

 

 

On the 19th of June, Asha Kama left for Washington DC as a part of the Bhutanese delegation to take part in the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival.

 

 

 

Ambassador Rahman and Hashem Khan in VAST

His Excellency A.K.M. Atiqur Rahman, the ambassador of Bangladesh to Bhutan, and Hashem Khan, the popular Bangladesh artist, dropped into VAST for a chat on 12th of  June.
 

]]> http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/06/27/ambassador-of-bangladesh-visits-vast-and-other-news/feed/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/06/27/ambassador-of-bangladesh-visits-vast-and-other-news/ Rice Bank: Breaking the Poverty Cycle http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VastBhutan/~3/pwd_j2ygU6Q/ http://www.vast-bhutan.org/2008/06/19/rice-bank-breaking-the-poverty-cycle/#comments Thu, 19 Jun 2008 04:36:09 +0000 Gelay http://www.vast-bhutan.org/?p=106 a special project managed by VAST members, and other volunteers

- Food aid, debt relief and establishment of Rice Bank in 2 villages of Kabji Gaywog in Punakha: Chorten Nibu and Punlingsum

According to the baseline survey conducted by village youth volunteers in 2007, 19 families from the villages of Chorten Nibu and Punlingsum  were found living below the poverty line and face food shortage during the critical period of the year.

Creating of the Rice Bank will provide them with food during the most critical period of the year. The bank will be replenished after the rice harvest at minimal interest by the families themselves. The Rice Bank will therefore be sustainable and provide rice during the next season. This will break the vicious cycle of debt, since borrowing from other villages is done at a high rate of interest.

The Project facilitators from VAST established the Rice Bank on the 2nd of June coinciding with the Coronation celebration of 4th king. The bank will be manage by the families themselves – 3 Tshogpas (committee members) were elected to manage the bank for a period of 5 years.

The project facilitators from VAST are indebt to the following volunteers and donors for their generous contribution towards ending the rural poverty in these 2 villages.

Donors

  1. Mary Anne (USA ) - USD 1000
  2. Choing Tshomo (USA ) - USD 200
  3. Yannick Jooris - Nu. 5000
  4. Asha Kama - Nu. 5000
  5. Dr. Tashi Wangchuk - Nu. 2900
  6. Group contribution (Choing, Miraj, Phurba, Rajesh & Asha Kama) - Nu. 30000
  7. Dr. Norzang and Dr. Lhaki - Nu. 8450
Volunteers
  1. Apa Dorji
  2. Am Namgay Biddha
  3. Am Chimi Om
  4. Dr. Tashi Wangchuk
  5. Asha Kama
  6. Dechen Wangdi
  7. Sangay Dorji

 

 

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