A daylong art camp titled “From Mountains to the Delta” was held on Monday at the Embassy of Bangladesh in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The art camp was a part of a weeklong art festival being organised by the Bangladeshi embassy in association with Dhaka-based Art Bangla Foundation and Kathmandu-based Siddhartha Art Gallery, said an embassy press release.

Ten eminent artists from Bangladesh and Nepal participated in the art camp.

Participating artists from Bangladesh were Professor Emeritus Rafiqun Nabi, Monirul Islam, Professor Mohammad Eunus, Muniruzzaman Munir, Kanak Chanpa Chakma and Professor Dr Iqbal Ali.

Participating artists from Nepal were: Kiran Manandhar, Sashi Shah, Vijay Thapa and Krishna Manandhar.

At the opening session of the art camp, Bangladeshi Ambassador in Nepal Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury highlighted the unique Bangladesh-Nepal ties that are rooted in social, cultural and civilisational linkages.

He mentioned that the relationships were as natural as the streams that flow down from the mountains to the ocean. He emphasised that both the countries have a shared vision for preserving their socio-cultural identities and respecting each other’s values as well as traditions. The festival has been themed after the diverse landscapes of the two countries and the confluence of cultural values.

He hoped that the art camp would be a wonderful platform for contemporary Bangladeshi and Nepali artists to create new artworks and display their unique styles, perspectives and mediums, reflecting the richness of culture of the two countries. Congregation of the kinds of eminent artists selected for the art camp will further strengthen bilateral bonds.

Rafiqun Nabi, Kiran Manandhar, Mohammad Eunus and coordinator of the art camp Sushma Rajbhandari also spoke at the opening session of the art camp.

The art camp coincided with a musical event organised by the Bangladesh embassy to welcome the Nepali and Bengali New Year. Singers and musicians from both Bangladesh and Nepal performed at the cultural event.

The new year celebration programme and art camp were attended by certain senior artists, art lovers, art critics and members of the Bangladesh community in Kathmandu. The artworks of the ten participating artists will be exhibited during 7-10 May at the Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu.