SDC NFP Coordinators Meeting 2011

SDC NFP Coordinators Meeting 2011 is scheduled to be held in New Delhi, India on 28-29 July 2011.
In order to implement the programmes of SAARC Documentation Center (SDC),effectively, the National Focal Points (NFPs) of the SDC have been established in each SAARC Member State. The functioning of the SDC-NFP is administered by a Coordinator in each NFP. The NFPs also play an important role in popularising the activities and functions of SDC in the respective Member States. The SDC-NFP Coordinators meet to ensure effective coordination in implementing the programmes and activities of SDC.
Following are the National Focal Points of SDC in member states: -

1. Afghanistan - under process
   
2. Bangladesh - BANSDOC (Bangladesh National Scientific and Technical Documentation Centre), Dhaka.
   >>[Coordinator - Mr. Md. Mijanur Rahman].
   
3. Bhutan - RIM (Royal Institute of Management), Thimpu.
   >>[Coordinator - to be nominated, earlier Coordinator Mrs. Kesang Dechen has joined as Deputy Director of SDC on 20th May 2011].
   
4. India - NISCAIR (National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources), New Delhi.
   >>[Coordinator - Mr. Indra Sen].
   
5. Malidives - NLM (National Library of Maldives), Male.
   >>[Coordinator - Ms. Thifla Umar].
   
6. Nepal - .., Kathmandu.
   >>[Coordinator - Mr. Purushottam P. Tiwari].
   
7. Pakistan - PASTIC (Pakistan Scientific and Technological Information Centre) National Centre, Islamabad.
   >>[Coordinator - Mr. Mohammad Aqil Khan].
   
8. Sri Lanka - Centre for Development Information Department of National Planning, Colombo.
   >>[Coordinator - Ms. B. I. Hendavitharana].
   

In the year 2009 and 2010, the SDC-NFP meetings were not held. In the meeting, forthcoming programmes of SDC will be discussed. Entire SDC team is preparing for successful meeting.

SGIB Orientation Programme

An SGIB (SAARC Gender Infobase)orientation programme was organized at SAARC Documentation Centre, New Delhi on 8th July 2011. The programmed was chaired by SAARC Director (Maldives) Mr. Ibrahim Zhuree, Mrs. Pratima Gupta (Ministry of WCD, GOI), Ms. Sapna Joshi (Homenet South Asia), Ms. Renu Golani (Homenet South Asia), Mr. Hemant Kumar, Mr. Vibhor Swaroop, Mr. S. R. Nimesh (all from Rashtriya Mahila Kosh), Ms. Sangeeta Thapa (UN Women - Nepal), Dr. Rinchen Chophel (UN Women).
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Gender Infobase (SGIB) has been set up as a joint initiative of the SAARC member countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in collaboration with UNWomen (older name - UNIFEM).

"Building Bridges" : Theme of SAARC Summit 2011

The Republic of Maldives, declared “Building Bridges” as the theme for the Seventeenth SAARC Summit to be held in Addu Atoll of the island nation on 10-11 November this year.
“Building Bridges - both in terms of physical connectivity and figurative political dialogue. However, the notion of bridging differences would be represented as the overarching theme of the summit rather than any set diplomatic or development aims,” stated a Press Release issued by the Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 19 June 2011.
Addressing the media following the unveiling of the theme for the upcoming Summit, President’s Office representative and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) youth arm president Shauna Aminath said that the Maldivian government - as part of SAARC - had been working with fellow member states to try and improve communication and collaboration throughout the region. Shauna took the recent recommencement of ferry services between India and Sri Lanka after a thirty year hiatus as a physical example of the summit’s own aims to try and strengthen economic and diplomatic ties between different member nations for their mutual benefit and prosperity.
She further said, “The idea is to celebrate the differences that we have and use these to unite nations to build a better region. South Asia is specifically unique in that it is home to 100 different languages, ten different major religions and one fifth of the world’s population,” she said. “The Maldives is the lowest lying nation in the world, at the same time [fellow SAARC member] Nepal has the [planet's] highest points. So these are differences, but we want to use these as an opportunity to celebrate as a united force to build bridges of friendship, peace and security.”
The Sixteenth SAARC Summit held in Bhutan in April 2010 devoted to the theme, Climate Change.
The Republic of Maldives hosts the Summit meeting of the SAARC Heads of States or Governments for the third time, having earlier hosted the Fifth and Ninth Summit meetings in 1990 and 1997 respectively. (Link - SAARC HQ Website)

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SAARC Documentation Centre, established in the year 1994, is one of the Regional Centre of SAARC . It acts as an effective information system for the SAARC member states that enables exchange of information in the areas of biological, physical, chemical, engineering and life sciences as well as in developmental matters. 

SAARC Documentation system comprises a central facilities i.e. SDC and its sub-units in all the member states i.e. National Focal Points, which act as the repositories of the centre.

SDC acts as a repository of documents/reports produced in the region and on the region in scientific, technical, economical, industry-related and developmental matters. Publications of the SDC include the Directory of Research and Industrial Institutions in the SAARC Region and Select Bibliography on Alternative Systems of Medicine in the SAARC Region.

Human resource development is an important activity of SDC. It conducts short term and attachment training programmes in information technology applications for library/documentation/information professionals in the Member States. The Centre also offers information services for research scholors in the Member States.