Haakon happy listening to people

KATHAMNDU, Nov 22: It was more than an honor for the staff and members of the Blue Diamond Society (BDS) when Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon steeped into their rather narrow and not so sophisticated office premises at Lazimpat on Monday.



And the prince was visibly touched by the warm welcome extended by the smiling, excited and beautifully attired gay group. [break]



Then followed the Maruni dance, one of the items in a cultural show that simply captivated the visitors. The event was not only a matter of pride and pleasure for the third gender, but also gave the prince an opportunity to see the country from a different perspective. An apparently elated Prince Haakon told Republica that he always wanted to come to Nepal and now he was thrilled to be here.



During the formal meeting with the prince, who is a goodwill ambassador for UNDP, Director of Blue Diamond Society Sunil Babu Pant threw light on the overall condition of the marginalized group.



He said that the country was about to draft a new constitution and as the only organization of the third gender in Nepal, BDS was highly concerned that the constitution should be totally inclusive.



"The third gender cannot live without harassment and torture in our society, and though the situation has changed much over the years, there are tough challenges to surmount," said Pant. Haakon listened to him very carefully, interrupting to put queries.





After listening to more than a dozen gays, including lesbians, one by one, Haakon wanted to know whether the new constitution alone, even if it turns out to be fully inclusive, could lessen their woes until things change at the grassroots level. Pant responded that sensitizing society was equally important, for which the media could play a pivotal role.



Talking to media, Haakon said that he would be visiting several other places in the country in the three remaining days of his stay here. "I would basically focus on the progress of the Millennium Development Goals in Nepal," he said, adding, "Today´s visit was the first part of the UNDP program; I felt good to listen to the people."



Meanwhile, talking to Republica, Badri Pun, who is gay, said that the prince visiting them was no small matter. "It is a very big honor for us," he said. When there was a king in Nepal, our crown prince never visited us," he added. Another gay, Barkha Ale Magar, was not only excited but also very hopeful that the visit of the UNDP goodwill ambassador would make an impact on funding for BDS and also on policy making.

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