The New School’s India China Institute Hosts:
“A MAOIST VISION OF A NEW NEPAL”

Nepal’s New Maoist Prime Minister Outlines
His Vision for Democracy in First Visit to the West

WHAT:

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal of Nepal will join with The New School’s India China Institute to deliver a speech that will outline his vision for Nepal’s first democratic government. Sworn into office just over one month ago on August 18, 2008, Dahal, also known as “Prachanda” (the Fierce One), came to pow­er following his party’s success in the country’s first-ever Constituent Assembly elections. He is Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and leader of its People’s Liberation Army. From 1996 to 2006, he led a decade-long People’s War with the goals of ending Nepal’s monarchy and creating a new federal republic.

This year, Constituent Assembly elections held in April yielded a near majority for the Maoists. The As­sembly’s first meeting ended a 240-year-old monarchy and began its main task: creating Nepal’s new con­stitution. In addition to leading the Assembly in this historic, monumental task, Prachanda now faces the challenges of managing a complex coalition government to address the long-neglected basic needs of the people. He also must work to establish security and peace in Nepal under the watchful gaze of an in­terested but skeptical international community.

Editor’s Note: A question and answer session will follow, open to the public and press.

WHO:

Keynote Speech: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal of Nepal
Remarks: Professor Andrew Arato, Dorothy Hart Hirshon Professor of Political and Social Theory and Co-Chair of the Committee for the Study of Democracy at The New School
Moderator: Kul Gautam, Senior Fellow, India China Institute, The New School

WHEN:

Friday, September 26, 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

WHERE:

Tishman Auditorium, Alvin Johnson/J. M. Kaplan Hall, 66 West 12th Street

RSVP:

Admission is free and open to the public, but seating is on a first come basis and must be completed by 5:45. For more information, please contact 212-229-6812 or
email indiachina@newschool.edu.

ABOUT INDIA CHINA INSTITUTE
Established in 2004, ICI is emerging as the hub of an international network of institutions and activities that nurture conversations about India, China, and the United States and deepen our understanding of global processes. Made possible in part by a generous $10 million grant from the Starr Foundation, ICI is committed to analyzing major issues and trends in India, China, and the United States and helping leaders, managers, public intellectuals, and opinion builders in all three countries address key challenges through collaborative solutions. At the heart of ICI is a competitive two-year fellowship program. Currently, ICI’s twenty distinguished fellows are collaborating on a broad range of projects to address the topic of “Prosperity and Inequality: Debates in India and China.” For more information, visit www.newschool.edu/ici.

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