KATHMANDU: Foreign delegates who are in Nepal to participate in the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction 2015 on Wednesday visited Basantapur Durbar Square, Sundhara and Sankhu. The visits were arranged by the government to acquaint the visited delegates of the damaged caused by the quakes in April and May and send out a message that despite destruction, Nepal still had much more to offer to foreign tourists. The delegates were taken around Hanumandhoka Palace Museum, Bhaju Dewal, Naryan Mandir, Lakshmi Naryan Mandir, Shiva Parvati Mandir, Nautale Durbar, Gaddi Baithak, Kageshwor Mandir, Taleju Mandir and Kumari Ghar in and around Basantapur Durbar Square. Similarly, the visiting delegates were also taken to ruined Dharahara and Sankhu, one of the areas in the Kathmandu Valley most affected by the quakes. In Basantapur Durbar Square, Saraswati Singh, Chairperson of Hanumandhoka Museum Development Committee, briefed the visiting delegates about historical, architectural, cultural and religious significance and aspects of the damaged heritage site. More than 30 delegates took the tour of the ruined historical heritage structures. Christian Manhart, Director of UNESCO’s office in Kathmandu, said, “UNESCO will contribute to the restoration and preservation of the historical and archaeological aspects after the detailed damage assessment of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites is completed. The detailed work plan for restoring damaged heritage sites will be designed.” Akihiko Tanaka, President at Japan International Cooperation Agency, assured that JICA would extend all the needed support for the restoration of the damaged heritage sites. Many heritage structures in Basantapur Durbar Square were destroyed in the quakes while others sustained damage and need to be restored at the earliest. Kashthamandap, from which it is said the name Kathmandu has been derived, was completely destroyed when the massive earthquake struck the country just before noon on April 25. The National Disaster Management and Monitoring Special Committee of the Legislature Parliament on Monday had directed the government to make arrangements for foreign delegates to observe major tourist destinations — both damaged and not damaged — to send out a message that Nepal is safe for foreign tourists.