Imagine Nepal---------

Most Nepalese and Nepal observers would agree that Nepal faces an unprecedented challenge-to transform society and make far-reaching constitutional, legal, social, political, economic, and administrative reforms that international experience shows are the single most important response to a national-wide Maoist insurgency. Facing this challenge, most people seem to feel helpless and hopeless-frustrated and depressed at their apparent incapacity to influence anything, distrusting of others, and despairing about the prospects for positive change and peace. Many have become de-sensitized and traumatized by the violent conflict.
Conventional development teaches us to look for solutions by analyzing problems and their causes. Yet, focusing on problems, and asking questions about what's wrong, tends to reveal more problems. What is hard in a problem-focused approach is to raise one's energy above the negativity and frustration of dealing endlessly with problems, to a higher, positive, more inspiring level. So, is there an alternative way forward? Indeed, since the early nineties, an unconventional approach has been gaining ground globally, and in Nepal in an expanding network of NGOs, community groups, and government agencies. Popularly known as "Appreciative Inquiry" (AI), it has been found a powerful tool in transforming communities, programs, and especially large organizations. Using the appreciative and analytical AI method, people systematically discover "best practice" success stories-what happened, how, and why. From that higher-level reality, participants develop shared visions, or dreams, for the future, and design and implement strategies for reaching those visions based on replicating the lessons of success. In the words of AI's founder, Professor David Cooperrider, AI liberates the "positive, life-giving core" in human society and, in so doing, unloks people's transformational energy and capacity to shape and co-construct new realities.
IMAGINE Nepal is an initiative of Nepalese AL practitioners inspired by other "IMAGINE" movements in the world. Its vision is one in which Nepalis rediscover the full positive potential of their "life-giving core", and unite to transform Nepal into a socially equitable, peaceful, and prosperious country in which Nepalese of every caste, ethnicity, and district participate and share with mutual trust, respect, and appreciation, equal rights, and equitable livelihood opportunity.


Mission, Core Values and Strategic Objectives IMAGINE Nepal, established in 2002, is a connection-based social movement that is ethnically and socially inclusive, non-profit making, politically non-partisan, and religiously non-sectrarian. Its mission is to help create and faster a positive societal movement by enabling all sectors and forces in Nepali society to discover their own strengths, envision positive futures, and architect and secure pathways and commitments towards building a peaceful, just, and prosperous Nepal. Its core belief is that, by inquiring into what's working, tapping their own strengths and talents, and through the power of their imagination, ideas, and energy, every Nepali is able to co-create the necessary transformation-of community, society, and nation. By its philosophy and constitution, IN embodies the main values and behaviors of: Appreciative and participatory management; Consensus decision-making; Autonomy; Mutual respect and empowerment; Accountability, responsibility, and honesty; Ethnic and gender sensitivity; Love, compassion, empathy, and fogiveness; Openness and truthfulness; Commitment and ownership; and Appreciative thinking and action. These core values are encouraged by IN's management style in which members support one another, recognize and respect one another's views and contribute voluntarily.	Guided by its long-term vision and goal, IN has defined the following strategic objectives over the five-year period, 2005-1010: • One thousand AI-based facilitators trained and proactively promoting peace, social change, and development; • One hundred thousand people in Nepal enabled/facilitated to participate in a national-wide process of appreciative dialogue; • A vibrant network established among transformational leaders, change agents, peace builders, innovators, social entrepreneurs, and other specialists in social change and reform; • System established for the network to collect, document, and extend breakthroughs in peaceful transformation of society, reconciliation; conflict transformation; reconstruction; risk, selflessness, and sacrifice; healing; social inclusion; empowerment; human rights; affirmative action; social justice; good governance; sustainable development; • "IMAGINE" networks extend to every region and all 75 districts of Nepal; • Relationship strengthened with international IMAGINE movements, AI networks, and other AI-related initiatives; • IN activities supported by mobilizing internal, in-country human and financial resources.


Working Modality As a voluntary, network-based organization, IN workds with AI-related and other transformational networkds on the principle of true partnership. It has an executive board comprising 11 members and an office with a minimum number of staff to coordinate with networks, and receive and document success stories in the existing AI knowledge-base. Activities Accomplished • Completed strategic planning through workshops and a series of discussions and meetings. • Organized training on Open Space Technology and enhanced capacity of IN members and other participants. • Established an initial network of transformational leaders and change agents. A number of Appreciative Inquiry programs, leadership development programs, and awareness raising programs undertaken. • Appreciative dialogue help among people from a range of groups. • A number of talk programs and AI facilitations done at central as well as district and community levels by IN members. • AI facilitators developed at different parts of the country. • Networking, lesson-learning, and sharing with international IMAGINE movements and AI networkds. • Established a fully functional secretariat at Capital College and Research Center.	Planned Activities • Appreciative Inquiry Summit for Peace & Development (September 9-11, 2005) • Strengthening relationships with national and international organizations practicing AI. • Facilitation of appreciative interviews in 75 districts to build communities of people committed to change. • Support to district level Appreciative Inquiry summits • Organizing 'Ambassadors Day'. • Hosting a Positive News website. • Publication of a 'Vision Book'-a compilation of lessons learned and visioning based on success stories of transformation, reform, and change in different sectors. • Advocacy and support for using the 'Vision Book' to guide the process of designing 11th Five Year Plan of Nepal. • Preliminary activities for establishing an AI-based University. • Organizing seminars, meetings, and workshops to enhance skills and knowledge in Appreciative Inquiry and related peace-building and social transformation fields. For further information: Kalimati, Kathmandu , Nepal Phone: 977-1-4272725/4272511 P O Box 8031 , Kathmandu , NEPAL Fax: 977-1-4277869 Email: imaginenepal@wlink.com.np website: http://www.imaginenepal.org