Kathmandu, May 4: Academy of Fine Arts and Literature of New Delhi organised the saarc writers Conference-2000 under the auspices of the Ministry of External Affairs of India with the cooperation of unesco and Ford Foundation.

Authors of various member countries including Nepal participated in the three-day conference.

Nepal was represented at the conference by litterateurs Madhav Ghimire, Mohan Koirala, Kamal Mani Dixit, Kali Prasad Rijal, Dhuswa Sayami, Tulasi Diwas, Abhi Subedi, Toya Gurung and Usha Thakur.

At the conference, working papers were presented and discussions held on culture: the instrument of peace, globalisation’s challenge to the culture of South Asia, shared metaphores and dreams of the women writers in saarc countries.

The conference also issued the New Delhi declaration which makes provision for setting up of a permanent machinery to foster close relations among the writers, moving ahead the cultural dialogue, and publicising the treatises of the writers through internet. The conference decided to hold another conference in 2001 and institute the saarc Literary Award, according to litterateur Diwas.