Further Education - INET was delighted to welcome Krishna Rai, a Nepalese trekking and mountain guide, who arrived in Ireland on May 2nd 2008. INET facilitated this visit to Europe to broaden his experience. He attended some of Ireland’s leading mountain training centres as well as getting involved in local mountain activities nearer to Dublin. He also travelled to Switzerland for the Mountaineering Council of Ireland summer gathering in the Alps and spent time with mountain guide Robbie Fenlon, UIAGM, for further Alpine experience, before returning to Nepal. Hopefully these new experiences and European mountaineering skills will be of benefit to him and his colleagues back home.
Borris Vocational School in Co. Carlow encourages pupils each year to do some fundraising on behalf of a charity of their choice. Teacher Mrs Bridget Trousdell who is aware of INET's work in Nepal and the school project in Phuleli suggested that the pupils make INET the beneficiary of their efforts this year. By organising a “non-uniform day” and a coffee morning, the pupils raised an amazing €1,200. At their annual award ceremony on May 20th, they presented a cheque to Valerie and Maurice Burris on behalf of INET. In a short address to the pupils, Valerie thanked them for their generosity and thanked the Principal, Mr. Lucas, and teachers Mrs. Smyth, Mrs. Doyle and Mrs.Trousdell and especially pupils Lisa, Patrick and Eleanor who are pictured here presenting the cheque to Valerie and Maurice. Valerie spoke about how their contribution will be used to support the school initiative in Phuleli and how much the people there value education and the great opportunity it gives to their children.
Government officials in Nepal have declared that May 29th, the day the world's highest peak was first climbed in 1953, will be marked as International Mount Everest Day. Tourism Ministry spokesman Prem Rai said, "The government has decided to commemorate the historic first ascent. This year will be the first time we celebrate the event and pay our tributes to Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay," Sir Edmund was an honorary citizen of Nepal. "The day will also be an opportunity to promote Nepal's adventure tourism in the international arena," he added.
