Chapter 5 PARTICIPATION AND ARRIVALS OF VERY IMPORTANT PERSONS 5.1 Visits and Participation of Members and Staff The Members and staff of the Commission participated in various seminars, meetings, conferences, workshops and training programming during the period of this report. All these activities during the initial stage of the formation of the Commission have been very helpful to the Commission. The details of the activities are given in Annex 5. 5.2 Observation and Visits of Distinguished Persons at the Commission: (a) At a special ceremony organized on the occasion of the Commission reaching its first one hundred days, the prime Minister, Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala, visited the Commission and inquired about its activities. Prime Minister Koirala, on the occasion, expressed his commitment to human rights and stated that the government was ready to help the Commission in whatever ways it could. (b) Soon after the formation of the Commission, the Advisor of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Brian Burdekin, visited the Commission with a view to finding the necessary areas of cooperation for strengthening the Commission. On the occasion, extensive discussions were held with representatives of the donor organizations wanting to help the Commission to identify the areas of cooperation. (c) Taking a special interest in the role of the Commission, the main opposition leader of the House of Representatives, other senior leaders, the spokesperson of the Nepali congress, General Secretary of Rastriya Prajatantra party and the chairperson of the Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party visited the Commission and inquired about its activities. Also, during the visit by the Commission to Maoist-affected areas, the suggestions given by the leaders of various political parties who came to the Commission were very helpful to the Commission. (d) On 28 November 2000, Princess Anne of Britain visited the Commission and inquired about the various activities of the Commission. Her Royal Highness signed the guest register kept at the Commission. The Commission feels that it has received great encouragement at the international level by the visit of the Princess.