An appeal to our visitors: May 4, 2015

As you know, ten days ago, on April 25, Nepal experienced a major earthquake, which caused widespread destruction throughout a large portion of central Nepal. So far the death toll from the quake is over 7000, and the number of injured is more than double that. These figures are expected to climb much higher as the devastation in the remoter areas comes to light.

Asianart.com has a special relationship to Nepal. The site is largely produced in our office in Patan in the Kathmandu Valley, under the capable leadership of Production Manager Sameer Tuladhar, who all of our client galleries have known for many years. Sameer is aided by Manika Rai who handles the accounts of the Nepal operation of Asianart.com and in addition is the MD of the Nepal jobs site JobsNepal.com. Sameer and and Manika and their families are safe and unhurt, but like all the inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley who survived, experienced the dread of living outside of their house in the rain under temporary shelter while aftershocks rocked the valley. So far, our office community is lucky; everyone has escaped this dreadful calamity unhurt. And with admirable pluck they have returned to the office to get all our systems there up and running.

They have also contributed to the relief effort by going out to help fellow Nepalis less fortunate than they are, bringing food and supplies and helping to clear the rubble. Their pluck and determination and community spirit has been an inspiration to their friends outside Nepal. We cannot join in the effort physically but we can help by donating to organizations that are directly involved in the relief effort in Nepal. Please visit our Relief for Nepal Links page to see links to these organizations.

Beyond the immediate humanitarian needs that face Nepal, there is one specific area of support that we ask you consider donating to, and that is the effort by the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT) to research, inventory and protect the damaged and destroyed monuments of the Kathmandu valley and surrounding areas. Please visit their fundraising page, the KVPT Nepal Earthquake - Architectural Heritage Response Fund, and please consider a generous donation to this essential work of safeguarding the future of these now crippled and damaged monuments.

Our family has always had a close relationship with Nepal and the Kathmandu Valley. My wife Lois and I met in Kathmandu, our son Vajra and daughter Vasundhara were both born there. Vajra is business manager and assistant editor of Asianart.com. He was in Kathmandu for the earthquake and escaped unhurt, but was stunned by the destruction he witnessed, and like Sameer and Manika he experienced the nights under makeshift shelter while the aftershocks continued.

Inspired by the energy and leadership of young Nepalis who went out after the earthquake to help their less fortunate countrymen, our family and our Asianart.com community in Nepal decided to help a community important to us, the village of Halchok behind the great Buddhist stupa of Swayambhu in the western part of the Kathmandu valley. Many of the inhabitants of this villages are quite poor, and their simple houses were decimated in the repeated quakes. We've started a project to relieve their suffering, protect them from the elements during the coming monsoon, and help them in their effort to rebuild their shattered lives. You can see more in our Halchok Relief page.

Our years in Nepal have taught us the remarkable courage and resiliency of the people of Nepal. We have always been fascinated and enthralled by the majestic beauty of Nepal's art and extraordinary culture.

We know that Nepal's people and her monuments are sure to rise again, but they need the help of all their friends now.

With thanks for any help you can give,

Ian Alsop

Editor
and the entire Asianart.com team.