KMC honours domestic and foreign mountaineers

kathmKathmandu / Nov 19: Kathmandu Metropolitan City has honoured national and foreign mountaineers summiting the Makalu and Kanchanjanga mountains at different times.

More than 20 climbers were honoured at a special programme organised at Narayanhiti Museum here on Saturday on the occasion of the diamond jubilee of the first ascent of Mt Makalu and Mt Kanchanjanga.

The first ascent of Mt Makalu was accomplished on May 15, 1955 and Mt Kanchanjanga on May 25 the same year. Kanchanjanga (8,586 metres) is the third highest mountain in the world while Makalu (8,463 metres) is the fifth highest mountain.

On the occasion, Acting Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Suresh Raj Acharya, expressed the belief that the diamond jubilee ceremony would help promote Nepal in the global tourism market.

Director General at the Department of Tourism, Jay Narayan Acharya, said that the diamond jubilee festival would be useful to disseminate a message that Nepal is safe for mountaineering in the world.

Similarly, Acting Chief Executive Officer of KMC, Sanat Kumar Thapa, and Chairman of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, Ang Chhiring Sherpa, said that the festival would play significant role to promote Nepali tourism.

The President of Union of International Alpine Association, Frits Vrijlandt expressed concern over melting of the snow cover on the mountains changing them into bare rocks due to climate change.

Before this, a morning rally was organised from Tundikhel to Narayanhiti Museum. Domestic and foreign mountaineers and tourism entrepreneurs participated in the rally. RSS