Kathmandu. Also speaking on the occasion, Minister for Information and Communications Dr Bikram Timilsina said literature was a strong fundamental medium to understand human civilization and life world even in the present world which was guided by technology, artificial intelligence and algorithms.

Speaking at the Himalayan Literature Festival and Writers Workshop here today, he said literature has connected the society and people with self-reflection and human sensitivity.

“Why do people still write poetry in a world that’s being shaped by algorithms, data, and so on? Why do they keep telling stories, because literature is the most powerful medium for self-realization of human civilization,” he said.

Stating that the theme of this year’s festival is relevant, Minister Timilsina said that people are searching for meaning, respect, identity and hope amidst the rapid changes in the world politics, economy and technology.

“In this age of information technology, we are more connected than ever before, but we don’t understand each other as much as before. This is why literature is indispensable. Literature forces a fast-paced world to pause for a while,” he said.

Discussing the role of poetry, novels and translation, he said that writers are not only creating text but saving humanity. Sharing his experience of conducting radio programs focused on Nepali literature and music for nearly a decade, he said literature and music can expand relations even where politics, geography and social divisions do not exist.

Highlighting the country’s cultural diversity and linguistic heritage, he said more than 120 languages are spoken in Nepal and each language has its own distinctiveness. “Every language has its own worldview. The stories, folklore, myths and memories of every community have enriched our shared identity,” he said.

Storytelling, folk songs and oral traditions had connected the society even before the modern communications system and social network, he said, adding that literature had been continuously refined with the development of human civilization.

Talking about his literary journey, he said he had published a collection of Nepali ghazals in 2006. He was of the view that poetry could express truths that statistics, policies and formal speeches could not express.

Highlighting the Nepali literary tradition, he said the literary figures from Adikavi Bhanubhakta Acharya to Mahakavi Laxmi Prasad Devkota have connected local realities with universal human thoughts. He added that the present generation of writers, journalists, translators and creators are also connecting this tradition with new challenges and taking it forward.

Highlighting the importance of various literary fairs and gatherings, he said such platforms would help ideas travel freely across borders and around the world. He expressed his confidence that the gathering of international litterateurs in Kathmandu would help spread Nepal’s mountains, heritage, culture, language and stories to the international community.

Minister for Communications and Information Technology Timilsina said imagination, language, culture and memory have equally important role as infrastructure, institutions and economy in building a society. “The government can build infrastructure. The organization can make a system. The economy can bring prosperity, but it is the writers, artists, poets and storytellers who build the inner life of the nation,” he said.

According to him, literary fairs have been playing an important role for meaningful dialogue, creative collaboration and exchange of experiences among creators.