27th SAARC Charter Day Celebrated at SDC

27th SAARC Charter Day [Twenty-sixth Anniversary of the founding of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)] was jointly organized by SDC and SDMC at SDC on 8th December 2011. On this occasion a Quiz Competition and a Debate was organized. Earlier a regional painting competition was organized by SDMC. Students from various schools participated in the competitions.
At the end of the programme, prizes and certificates were distributed by the Chief Guest Dr. Vikram K. Doraiswami, OSD (SAARC), Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India and the Special Guest Mr. R. K. Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Disaster Management), Ministry Home Affairs, Govt. of India to the winners of Quiz Competition, Debate and Painting Competition. All the participant were given gift. Dr. Gangan Prathap, Director, SDC and Dr. O. P. Mishra, Director, SDMC and entire team of SDC and SDMC were present on the occasion besides the school children, teachers, SDC sponsored trainees and NISCAIR staff.

SDC Fellowships for Research and Advanced Training

S.D.C. has initiated Fellowships for Research and Advanced Training for the professionals of SAARC member states. The programme was approved during the 17th GB Meeting.
The main aim of the present initiative is to enhance the research capacity of promising information scientists of the SAARC region, particularly those embarking on their research career, and also to encourage them to foster cross-country linkages for collaborative work. Under the aegis of SDC, one fellowship from each Member State will be sponsored for a period of six months. The Programme will aim in particular, to impact on capacity-building and research activities in the following areas:

• SAARC related topics
  
• Library and Information Science
  
• Science and Technology
  Developmental Matters
  
• Science Communication

SDC Fellows will be based at the Center and will have access to the library, computer facilities of the Centre and also CSIR-NISCAIR (host institute of SDC). During the six month period, SDC fellows will be attached to mentors from SDC or from the host institute, NISCAIR. Only those who are currently actively registered for a PhD programme in a SAARC country will be eligible for the programme.

For details, please visit the SDC Website : www.sdc.gov.in/fellowship/

for Brochure and Application Form, click here...........

26th SAARC Charter Day - 2011

SAARC Documentation Centre is going to celebrate 26th SAARC Charter Day on 8th Dec. 2011 in collaboration with SAARC Disaster Management Centre, New Delhi. On this occasion, winners of Painting competitions, quiz competitions and debate will be given prize. SDC is also organizing a Koha training programme (5-10 Dec. 2011) on this occasion, inaugurated on 5th Dec. 2011

To commemorate the 26th SAARC Charter Day, the SAARC Secretariat is organising a marathon in the Capital city Kathmandu (Nepal) on December 8, 2011. The secretariat said in a statement that it has asked all members of the diplomatic community based in Kathmandu to take part in the event. The event will kick off from the SAARC Secretariat and end at the secretariat after passing through Durbar Marg, Kamaladi, Ram Shah Path, Singha Durbar, Thapathali, Tripureshwor, Sundhara, Mahankal and Jamal. Those who want to participate in the event should register at the secretariat by 3 pm on December 6 and arrive at the secretariat at 6.45 am on December 8 for the event that will begin at 7 am. The registration can also be done through email - shabbir@saarc-sec.org - or over the phone (01-4221694). (Click Here for News........).

In connection with the observance of the 26th SAARC Charter Day on 08 December 2011, SAARC Meteorological Research Centre (SMRC) and SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), Dhaka jointly organizing an essay competition. (Click Here for News........).

As Association of Management Development in South Asia (AMDISA) is a SAARC Recognized Body. It is commemorating the SAARC Charter Day on Thursday, 8th December, 2011 at AMDISA Secretariat, University of Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad, with a view to raising awareness of the people about SAARC and its activities, thereby enhancing South Asian identity as well as solidarity within the Region and beyond. (Click Here for News........)

Attachment Trainees learning Bloging

SDC sponsored attachment trainees of different SAARC member states are enjoying while learning about Blog.
A blog (a blend of the term web log)is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. The term "weblog" was coined by Jorn Barger on 17 December 1997. The short form, "blog," was coined by Peter Merholz, who jokingly broke the word weblog into the phrase we blog in the sidebar of his blog Peterme.com in April or May 1999. Shortly thereafter, Evan Williams at Pyra Labs used "blog" as both a noun and verb ("to blog," meaning "to edit one's weblog or to post to one's weblog") and devised the term "blogger" in connection with Pyra Labs' Blogger product, leading to the popularization of the terms.
There are several free blog sites using which a user can create his/her blog site such as blogger.com, wordpress.com, edublogs.com, livejournal.com etc.

Click here a link for a list of free blog hosting sites.........

Attachment Training participants learning Library 2.0

The SDC participants of 2nd Attachment Training Programme are learning Library 2.0. Earlier they have undergone training on GSDL. Now-a-days they are learning various Web 2.0 tools and techniques such as online sharing of documents using google docs, web site creation using google sites, creation of tiny URL etc.

The participants will attend a 5-day Koha (open source integrated library management system) training programme scheduled from 5th Dec. 2011.

10th SAARC Golf Championship - 2011

10th SAARC Golf Championship is going to be held in India in November 2011. Dates are from the 25th – 27th & the event will be held at the Rambagh Golf Course, Jaipur. The SAARC Golf Championship is the region's premier annual international amateur team event and all the teams are selected by the official golf unions of the participating SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Countries. Each country is invited to send a team of three men and one manager to the venue.
Pash India is the organizer of this prestigious Golf event that is being held in India after many years as per the dates approved by the by the Indian Golf Union (IGU) keeping in mind the schedule of the National Golf teams. Pash India holds the IPR for this flagship Golf event held across the SAARC region since its inception in 1999. The event is recognized by all the official golf associations in the SAARC region, this year the Championship will see the national teams tee off, as the golfing fraternity endeavors to foster greater friendships in the region.
The previous events have been held in Bangalore & Delhi in India, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Lahore in Pakistan and Kandy in Srilanka. The 9th SAARC Golf Championship was held in Kathmandu, Nepal and this 10th Championship is taking place in Jaipur in November this year.

Amidst the pristine setting of the 18 hole Rambagh Golf Club in the heart for the vibrant city of Jaipur, this SAARC event promise to be a memorable one. The championship event is being sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Dept of Tourism, Govt. of Rajasthan and Hon’ble Tourism Minster of Rajasthan Smt. Bina Kak is the Patron for the event. H.E. Shri Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister of Rajasthan would be invited to inaugurate the event. This event is also conceived to promote harmony and co-operation through sports in the SAARC region and the championship includes a corporate golf day titled the "SAARC Friendship Cup" which is like a Pro Am. Leading corporates, VIPs, Ambassadors, Government heads, Golf enthusiasts are invited to play alongside the national amateur teams.

SDC's National Focal Point in Afghanistan

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has introduced the following persons as the National Focal Points for SDC related activities in the country:

• Ms. Sohiala Noori, Deputy Director, Institute of Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  (Tel.: 0093-707086997, Email: sohialanoori@yahoo.com)
• Ms. Ahdia Amiry, In charge of Library, Institute of Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  (Tel.: 0093-794431958, Email: ahdia_amiry@yahoo.com)

Website of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan: www.mfa.gov.af

SDC welcomes them.