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There was intense discussion about the need and importance of preservation and enrichment of national languages. The significance of translation was emphasized by several speakers who perceived translation as the only means to achieve unity in diversity.

Ms. Ajeet Cour went into an indepth analysis of the challenges, emphasising the imperative need of translating the works first in English, and from this common pool, further into National languages. She also stressed that the national languages should not be treated as sacred, single languages, because countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and Nepal did have more than one language. If the idea, she emphasized, was to `reach out' and hold hands intellectually, then there was a need to think more rationally and generously and extend the translations to regional languages too, in each of these countries. The process may take years, she added, but that should be the ultimate dream of all creative people who are endeavouring to initiate interactions among creative writings and intellectual thought in the SAARC Region.

Discussion and Literary Interaction in Tribhuvan University. This was a Seminar on `The Challenges of Literary of Dialogue in South Asia'. This Seminar was chaired by Mr. Kamleshwar, the well-known Hindi writer in the Indian Delegation, and Co-chaired by Mr. Nabeen Prakash Jung Shah, Vice Chancellor of Tribhuvan University. The Seminar highlighted the challenges to creative writings and stated that creativity did not recognize political boundaries. The Seminar was very serious and thought - provoking, and was attended by the Heads of English, Nepali, Hindi and Urdu Departments, Director of the Centre of South Asian Studies, other professors and academicians, and senior research scholars and students in all the above disciplines. The Fourth Interaction. This was at the Prime Minister's residence, with the cream of Kathmandu society freely mixing with the members of the Delegation: writers, academicians, politicians, publishers, business people, et aI. The Prime Minister Rt. Hon. H.E. Shri Girija Prasad Koirala talked in confidence to Ms. Ajeet Cour about various issues of creative interaction.

At the SAARC Secretariat, at the Royal Nepal Academy, and at the Tribhuvan University, Ms. Ajeet Cour presented large sculptures of Budha, a symbol of peace, and large posters of a painting by Arpana Caur. This painting was adopted by UN as their symbol for the whole world on UN Day on October 23, and printed as large, beautiful posters, titled `Women Hold Up Half The Sky'. Mr. V.P. Singh, former Prime Minister of India, who was a member of the Indian Delegation but could not reach Kathmandu due to a mishap, dictated letters of apology and regret from his hospital bed, addressed to all the delegates who were eagerly waiting for him, including his Majesty the King of Nepal, and the Hon'ble Prime Minister of Nepal. His name and the name of the Academy were inscribed on every large Buddha sculpture.