French Ambassador Yves Carmona announced in a press conference today the participation of two Nepali restaurants in the Gout de France/Good France event celebrating French gastronomy. “Diplomacy, at all times, has been more effective around a good meal accompanied with fine wines; that creates a more conducive atmosphere for tough discussion,” said Carmona. 

Traditional Turkish belly dance performances with acrobatic twists stunned the audience on March 10 at Hotel Yak and Yeti, Durbar Marg. The ‘Turkish Cultural Night’ organised by Key Entertainment Pvt Ltd and supported by Nepal Turkey Chamber of Commerce, also became an occasion of cultural exchange between Nepali and Turkish artistes.

At a time when India is confronted with growing negative sentiments in Nepal, China has been reaping a good harvest of positive perceptions. [...] Other than soft power, China has used its economic diplomacy to project itself as a non-interfering neighbour by welcoming the new constitution of Nepal. 

The latest spate of terrorist attacks in the Middle East and Bangladesh and the unfortunate, indiscriminate killings in Paris have highlighted how misinterpretation of culture, rituals and religious beliefs are affecting peace and stability all over the world. It has also drawn attention to the politicisation of faith and its consequent repercussions. [...] This process [of cultural diplomacy] is reducing the impact of differences in cultures becoming catalyst for conflict.

In the past two months, India must conclude, sadly, that its story on Nepal is not winning and its soft power is being eroded on a daily basis. This weekend’s events, with the temporary detention of 13 Seema Sashastra Bal personnel by Nepal’s Armed Police Force personnel and the Nepal government’s decision to take Indian channels off air, only drive the point home that Nepal is rejecting India’s power, both hard and soft.

KP Oli should realise by now that flirting with Chinese oil diplomacy is not in Nepal’s long term interest either. Our public diplomacy has been even more disastrous. Instead of asking the Indians to #Backoff or cribbing against #IndiablockadesNepal, had the media and civil society collectively pressured government to reach out to the dissenting groups while opening diplomatic channels with New Delhi things would not have deteriorated to this extent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, who wooed Nepalis on his two visits last year, during which he promoted his “neighborhood first” diplomacy, is now an object of scorn. Some people have burned effigies of him, and a #BackoffIndia hashtag was recently trending on Twitter. While Nepal’s allies, including China, welcomed the new Constitution, India merely “noted” it.