Speaker pledges efforts to enact law protecting Newar language, arts and heritage

House of Representatives Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal has pledged to take initiative in enacting the laws needed to protect the language, arts, culture and heritage of the Newar community.

Aryal made the commitment while inaugurating the 33rd annual general assembly of Jyapu Samaj Yala, held in Lalitpur on Saturday. He said protecting cultural heritage is a responsibility of the present generation. He said suggestions and problems arising from direct dialogue with local communities would be taken up at the level of lawmaking.

Speaker Aryal said the Newar community has made a major contribution to preserving the temples, monasteries, traditions and original culture of Lalitpur. He also recalled the community's important role in various social and political movements across the country. He stressed the need to protect the heritage and culture left by predecessors and hand it over to the new generation.

At the same event, Lalitpur Metropolitan City Mayor Chiribabu Maharjan claimed that reconstruction work on most heritage sites within the metropolitan area has been completed. He said work on the remaining structures is about 95 percent complete, and that intangible heritage work, which has stalled due to budget constraints, will now be moved forward. Mayor Maharjan said the metropolitan city is working with Jyapu Samaj on the protection of tangible and intangible heritage.