A Bhutanese show in Minnesota

A Bhutanese family recently resettled in Minnesota

Minnesota, March 03, 2009: Bhutanese recently resettled in Minnesota, USA celebrated Bhutan Day on February 28 with a number of cultural shows, performances and a first conference in an attempt to visualize the atrocities of the Bhutanese government in early 1990s to evict them.

According to Barun Dhakal, more then 200 people attainted the program, which was basically organized to empowered refugee youth and give Bhutanese a chance to learn more about Minnesota’s refugee services as well as get job hunting advice.

The event was planned by a small group of Bhutanese leaders and friends, the Nirvana Center (the first Bhutanese Center in the state) and sponsored by the Asian Indian Family Wellness Center (SEWA), the Asian Pacific Endowment Center (APEC), the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT), the Center for Asian Pacific Islanders (CAPI), the Council for Asian Pacific Minnesotans, Lutheran Social Services, the St. Paul Foundation, the World Council of Churches and World Relief.

The event is expected to help learn western people about Bhutanese refugees, where only a few people know that there are currently about 106,000 refugees from Bhutan, primarily from Southern Bhutan, evicted when the government imposed a policy of one nation one people.

The morning started with an informational presentation on resources for refugees by Patricia Fenwick, executive director of World Relief, followed by breakout workshops on a choice of topics, employment, youth, elders and mental health.