Kathmandu, January 30 Nepal Climbing Team today announced that it will organise the first ever ice climbing festival in Manang next month. According to Vinayak Jay Malla, one of the conveners of the project, the nine-day festival will take place in Humde area of Manang district from February 2. The event is being organised in association with Nepal Mountaineering Association, promoted by Nepal Tourism Board and supported by Kami Rita Sherpa (Guinness Book of World Records – Most Ascents of Everest record holder with 22 summits). “Keeping in mind the motto of Visit Nepal 2020, Nepal Climbing Team has come forth with this unique project as Nepal is not only famous for mountaineering, trekking, World Heritage Sites, and bio diversity, but also other adventure sports,” said Malla. According to him, the team seeks to introduce ice climbing on frozen waterfalls in winter as an extreme sport and adventure opportunity in Nepal. “The event intends to establish Nepal as one of the major ice climbing hubs in the world,” he added. Furthermore, the event also aims at promoting awareness regarding the importance of ice climbing for tourism development of the country and establishing ice climbing as a part of sports in Nepal. Organisers said that the event also intends to spread awareness among people towards climate change, introduce Nepal as a major ice climbing hub in the world, make people aware about the benefit of ice climbing in tourism industry and encourage people’s participation in adventure sports. The festival also has an objective to develop ice climbing as part of adventure games, introduce ice climbing among adventure sports lovers, help boost research and promotion of tourism in Manang, establish the ice climbing destination in Manang and to promote Manang as an adventure sports destination. It also intends to empower and encourage local women and girls in ice climbing in Manang, organise awareness programmes locally about the importance of wildlife and lastly to promote Visit Nepal 2020. The entire event is being organised with investment worth Rs 1.8 million, according to the organisers.