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Report of the Executive
Secretary
Dear Friends of Ecotourism and Conservation Society
of Sikkim & partners in Development,
I am happy to present to you our report for the year 2003.
We are happy to have completed three full years of lively existence in
Sikkim. Congratulations to everybody!!! As we look back and see from
where we had started to make Sikkim truly an ecotourism destination,
we feel proud in having achieved that vision to a large extent. The
struggles and challenges still continue, each new day we make a pledge
to go on and mobilize more and more people in this mass movement. The
milestones of our journey give us the inspiration to continue and
include others so that Sikkim truly sets an example of moving
systematically from mass tourism to eco -tourism.
It may be worthwhile here to mention some of our significant
achievements in the year 2003. Volunteer programs saw nationals from
various countries come and associate with ECOSS to study, work in
communities and provide valuable inputs and feedback in our field of
work. Partnerships and networking with institutions and key
individuals have been further strengthened which would give us better
access to new initiatives and funding in the long term. We have been
able to build human capital impressively in the field of tourism
service providers and young entrepreneurs by conducting training and
capacity building programs . Participatory planning and consultation
with communities living around the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve
gave new insights and motivation to carry our work into more far flung
areas to reach the rural poor.
I would like to thank various agencies who have worked with us and
given us the opportunity to render our services in various meaningful
ways. Mention may be made of SIDICO who involved us in training the
young entrepreneurs for the CMSES program. We are also thankful to the
Department of Forest Environment and Wildlife for engaging us in the
Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Medicinal plants community
consultation programs which enhanced our capacity and understanding of
medicinal plants potential in Sikkim. The Department of Tourism for
supporting and involving us in various training activities.
Lastly we are thankful to all the local communities and partner
organizations with whom we were able to work and share our
experiences. Without your acceptance and participation, our existence
would not have been meaningful. And before I conclude I would like to
thank the Government of Sikkim, our Hon’ble Chief Minister Dr. Pawan
Kumar Chamling for his vision and support to NGOs like us to work in a
free and independent fertile environment.
My thanks to all our ECOSS members, colleagues, well wishers
Renzino Lepcha
Executive Secretary
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