Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter to Visit Nepal

CONTACT:
In Atlanta: Deborah Hakes, +1 404 420 5124
In Kathmandu: Darren Nance, +977 1 444 5055/1446 

ATLANTA....Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter will visit Nepal June 13-16 to encourage Nepal's political leaders to continue on the path to peace as they prepare to hold constituent assembly elections later in 2007. President Carter, 2002 Nobel Laureate and co-founder of The Carter Center, will lead a delegation including former U.S. Ambassador A. Peter Burleigh, Carter Center Democracy Program Director Dr. David Carroll, and Carter Center Nepal Field Director Darren Nance.

The delegation will meet with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, the Election Commission, national political party leaders, and representatives of civil society organizations and marginalized groups. The delegation will also receive updates from the Carter Center's long-term election observers who have been deployed throughout Nepal since March. The Carter Center was formally invited by the government of Nepal to observe the constituent assembly election process and is the only international election observation organization currently deployed.

For more information on The Carter Center's activities in Nepal, visit http://cartercenter.org/countries/nepal.html

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY:

The following media opportunity is open to accredited Nepalese media and foreign correspondents in Kathmandu:

On Saturday, June 16, President Carter will hold a press conference beginning at 1145h at the Megha Malhar Conference Center of the Crowne Plaza Soaltee in Kathmandu, Nepal. Due to security protocols, accredited Nepalese media and foreign correspondents are asked to arrive no later than 1045h using the rear entrance of the Conference Center. If you arrive after 1045h, you will be denied entry. In addition, media are asked to confirm their attendance to Aditya Adhikari via e-mail: the.carter.center.nepal@gmail.com by Friday, June 15, 2007. In the confirmation, journalists should note their name, media outlet represented, e-mail, and telephone number.

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"Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope."

The Carter Center celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2007. A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in more than 65 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; improving mental health care; and teaching farmers in developing nations to increase crop production. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide. Please visit www.cartercenter.org to learn more about The Carter Center.