Kathmandu, May 16:

The government today announced its decision to celebrate May 29 as the International Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) to a long-standing vision of promoting Nepal as world’s best adventure tourism destination.

The day marks the heroic achievement of Late Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary who scaled the highest peak on May 29, 1953.

The announcement was made by the joint secretary of the ministry of culture, tourism and civil aviation Dinesh Hari Adhikari along with the CEO of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) Prachanda Man Shrestha. The granddaughter of Edmund Hillary, Amelia Rose Hillary was also present on the occasion.

Highlighting the programmes outlined for the day, NTB chief said the event would begin with an early morning procession from Bhadrakali in Kathmandu. It would be followed by a symposium on adventure and responsible tourism, workshop on water painting of mountains, wall climbing and quiz contests and a mountain film festival. The programmes would be organised under the guidance of NTB, Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal and Nepal Mountaineering Association in collaboration with a host of tourism associations and non-governmental organisations.

Recognising Sagarmatha as the country’s most popular icon, Adhikari hoped the event would boost Nepali tourism. According to Shrestha, the two primary objective of celebrating the Sagarmatha Day was; to draw the attention of all segments of the society towards maintaining the mountain environment and promote Nepal as a world-class mountain destination.

“We want the world to know that Nepal has the best adventure tourism options based on mountains like bungee jumping, paragliding, mountain flight among others,” emphasised Shrestha.

Amelia Hillary, who shares her grandfather’s fetish for mountain climbing and love for Nepal, claimed to be keen to continue his unfinished work pertaining to education and

development in Nepal. Her father Peter Hillary would join her in the celebration programme, she added.