The Lumbini activity was run in parallel to a UNESCO competition on World Heritage for professional photographers. The local competition was part of the Lumbini CMC's programmes to popularize digital technologies and create a web portal about the world-renowned Lumbini cultural heritage site, where Lord Buddha was born over 2500 years ago.

The novelty and challenge of working with digital tools was evident from the difficulties the CMC encountered in putting on the workshop. The CMC had planned to deliver a short training on digital photography to the participants before the competition; however it was not possible because it was not possible to find a suitable local trainer. The participants had to do with the instructions of the CMC staff on how to handle the camera. The Maoist insurgency, which has badly affected the development activities in the country, also caused postponement of the program once.

On the day of the workshop, a bus took the participants and organizers to the Lumbini site, 35 km southwest of the city of Butwal, near where the CMC is located. Forty-six novice photographers, aged 13 to 48, captured the heritage site using the CMC's one camera. The photographs ranged from landscapes to monuments to portraits of workers. Others focused on development activities and environmental degradation of the heritage site.

"It was a great opportunity for me to participate in the photo competition of the world heritage site such as Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha, where there are competitors as young as 13 years old," says Purnaprabha Nepal, a 48-year old school teacher, member and active user of the CMC.

Creating photographic documentation is linked to the CMC's plan to create a new space on the internet to promote sustainable tourism in relation to the World Heritage site. The new website will encourage local participation by uploading information about local lives and the Lumbini environment.

The CMC conceived the competition as a good opportunity for users of to explore their hidden expressive talents and creative skills and at the same time raise awareness of new technologies. Each participant will receive a certificate of appreciation. NPR 600 (about USD 8), 400 and 200 were awarded to the first, second and third contestants respectively; NPR 100 was given to each to the fourth and fifth contestants as an honourable mention.

"The CMC has taken a great step forward by organizing such an exciting event. I feel proud to be a member of CMC. It should host such activities frequently in addition to its regular activities," says T.P. Paudel, principal of a local school and an active user of the CMC.

Joy and excitement were visible in the faces of the participants when they were enjoying lunch packets after the competition. Each contestant had contributed in making the competition a pleasant event and it added a new experience in everybody's memories.

The Lumbini CMC was established in April 2004 as part of Radio Lumbini, a community radio station in the plains area of Western Nepal. CMCs have also been established in Tansen and Madanpokhara in adjacent Palpa District. Community multimedia centres combine new technologies like internet and CD-ROM with traditional media like community radio and TV. Other CMCs have been established in Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka as well as in Africa and the Caribbean.

(By Karma Tshering, research coordinator and organizer for Nepal CMC Projec)