Travelling Chobi Mela

Photography is a powerful tool for expression especially in a country like Nepal where the majority of the people are illiterate. Even in Photo Journalism we study that what you cannot convey in 1000 words, you can convey with a single picture. For most photojournalists and citizens alike, photography is one of the few universal languages that can be shared and understood with common feeling. International Festival of Photography, Travelling Chobi Mela V was held at Nepal Art Council, Babar Mahal with the same concept of universality. The festival began from May 22 and lasted till the 28th. Artists from nine countries participated in the festival that showcased 12 exhibitions. The festival included several presentations and workshops that enlightened professional as well as amateur photographers and photojournalists on several notions and issues related to photography
Chobi Mela, meaning photo festival in Bengali, is the first festival of photography in Asia, and was conceived in December 2000 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Western photographers were receiving world-wide fame when South Asian countries were not even aware of photographers in their neighboring countries. Non-western photographs were not given the due recognition they deserved. The concept of Chobi Mela was born to bridge this gap since in Bangladesh, like other South Asian countries, majority of the people cannot read or write and photography is one of the few ways to reach the average person.