Kathmandu: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey has said Sagarmatha, the world’s highest peak, is the pride of the whole world.
Addressing a programme organized at local Basantapur on the occasion of the International Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) Day here this morning, Minister Pandey emphasized that everyone involved should actively work to enhance awareness for the conservation and promotion of Sagarmatha and attract tourists from around the world to Nepal.
“Sagarmatha is our identity and pride, and the world has also been proud of it. By successfully organizing the Sagarmatha Sambaad recently to establish the country’s identity through the highest peak on Earth, we have made the global community aware of the problems faced by the country due to climate change.
The melting of Everest’s snow affects not only Nepal and the Himalayan region but the entire planet. The dialogue was useful in highlighting that this is not only a problem for Nepal,” he said on the occasion.
On the occasion of the International Sagarmatha Day, a morning procession was organized at Thamel, where there is considerable movement of tourists.
Among those present at the event were Minister Pandey, Officiating Tourism Secretary Indu Ghimire, Director General of the Tourism Department Narayan Regmi, Chief Executive Officer of the Nepal Tourism Board Deepak Raj Joshi, as well as tourism entrepreneurs, representatives from tourism-related organizations, government officials, security agencies, and the members of the general public.
Before that, a wreath was offered at the life-size statue of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary located in the premises of the Nepal Tourism Board.
The International Sagarmatha Day is marked on May 29 every year in commemoration of the successful ascent of Mount Everest by the Nepali Sherpa and Hillary for the first time on May 29, 1953.