a. A rationale for why the country deserves special attention as the country of study.

What makes this country of special interest or importance? We want to propose Nepal as the country of the year in Kennesaw State University. Nepal deserves special attention as the country of study because unlike rest of South Asia, Nepal gets less attention from Western media and in American classrooms. Students know very little about Nepal and its people although Nepal gets significant number of Western tourists every year. Mountainous landscapes of Nepal, a country tucked between India and China in Middle Himalayas get more attention than its rich religious, cultural, linguistic and artistic aspects. Historically, Nepal has held a unique position in Asia. Nepali culture is distinct in that it is a inimitable blend of influences from its south i.e. Indian civilization and its north i.e. Tibetan and Chinese traditions. As a mountainous and landlocked country, Nepal has been less accessible yet Nepal has historically served as key site through which passed numerous trade routes connecting India and China. Significance of knowing about contemporary Nepal is tremendous. At present Nepal is experiencing a gradual transition from a Monarchy to a Democracy. Visiting societies undergoing transition is extremely beneficial for experiential learning objectives across disciplines in social sciences and humanities. Geopolitically, Nepal holds a very strategic position because it shares borders with India and China, the two emerging nations in Asia. Understanding Nepals political dynamics and its relationship with India and China from a Nepali perspective is crucial to comprehend how the rise of India and China is impacting geographical vicinities. b. A description of how the proposed country of study may be a good choice in addressing common overarching themes of globalization such as Sustainability, Social Responsibility, Citizen Diplomacy, Global Health, Global Technology, etc As mentioned earlier, Nepal is undergoing a political transition. Similarly, Nepal is also on the verge of several economic shifts. An economy primarily dependent on agriculture is looking forward to rapid industrialization like its neighbors in the south and the north. Therefore Nepal faces the questions of sustainability like any other developing nation. However, questions of sustainability get additional importance because of its mountainous terrain, which is home to rare species and varieties of flora and fauna. Home to three important rivers, such as Kosi, Gandok and Arun, Nepal also has significant amount of riverine plains within its territory, which adds to its cultural and natural diversity. For long, Nepal has received development aids from international organizations and donor nations. Nongovernmental organizations have been very active in development work among Nepali women on issues of health, education, literacy,

and sustainability. Nepal has been important field-site for anthropologists to study and learn about the effects of various kinds of strategies to improve the conditions of rural people. Success and failures of these programs in Nepal contribute to debates and discussions on development in the academia and in anthropology and geography classrooms. Presence of NGOs and Western tourists in Nepal has also helped many organizations to launch People to People diplomacy or citizen diplomacy. Based on home-stays, such programs enhance cross-cultural understandings. A year of Nepal in Kennesaw will help students take advantage of these already existing infrastructures for experiential learning and cross-cultural understanding.

c. A list of any suggestions/recommendations for specific events, performances, lectures indicating their connection to specific colleges or disciplines. 1. A year of Nepal will help us launch an annual study-abroad program in Nepal. 2. We will organize a conference of development practitioners, anthropologists, sociologists and political scientists working on Nepal to make students on campus aware not only about Nepal but also about intercultural dynamics in general. 3. Atlanta and its suburbs and other cities in the US are home to many Nepali immigrant families from Nepal, Bhutan and India. A year of Nepal will give us the rare opportunity to engage in a community outreach program. 4. We will organize an exhibition of Nepali artworks and bring craftsmen from Nepal to give some courses in Nepali art and crafts in KSU. d. A description of your own personal interest and commitment to being involved in the organization and implementation of the program. Both Dr. Linda Hightower and myself are interested in Nepal and have academic research interests in Nepal. I am fluent in Nepali and I did my dissertation fieldwork in a remote village in Darjeeling, which is the home to Nepali-speaking people in India. I studied how women tea-farmers engage in sustainable business and agricultural practices with the help of Fair Trade movement in the US. Dr. Hightower has worked with Nepali craftsmen in Kathmandu and played a significant role in marketing Nepali craft products in the United States. e. A list of potential local and global partners describing how these potential partners may contribute to making the program successful including the possibility of any grants or other funding that may be available.