Kathmandu, November 1:

Five municipalities of the valley, including the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), today jointly felicitated Junko Tabei, the first woman Everester, and other summiteers on the occasion of the 30th jubilation of Taibei’s maiden ascent.

Addressing the function, Tabei said women who scaled Everest looked very beautiful. “Scale the Everest if you want to look beautiful,” she said, asking the foreigners to visit Nepal frequently. So far, 116 women have scaled the highest peak. “Noting that six Nepali women had already scaled the highest mountain,” she said it was a great achievement. Tabei had scaled the Everest on May 16, 1975.

The assistant minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Yankila Sherpa, requested the summiteers to take from Nepal the message of peace. “You all have experienced that the situation of Nepal has been improved. Now Nepal is a safe and secure destination for all the tourists,” she said.

During the function, the executive head of the KMC, Padma Raj Regmi, handed over letters of appreciation and gifts on behalf of the Nepalis to 23 participating summiteers.

Regmi requested the summiteers to convey to the world their experiences during their stay in Nepal. He said programmes like this will be organised in the future so as to strengthen relations at the people’s level.

The president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, Aang Chhering Sherpa, said events like these will help promote tourism. Earlier, a Shobha Yatra — a procession — was organised in honour of Junko Tabei.

Taken out from the Shahid Gate, the procession converged at the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square after passing through Sundhara, RNAC and New Road. Tabei was driven in a horse-driven carriage.