KATHMANDU, JUNE 14
The Himalayan Trust, UK in association with the Everest Foundation organised the 70th anniversary lecture at the Royal Geographic Society in London last evening.
More than 600 people attended high level mountaineering lectures at the RGS, according to Sir Graham Wrigley, Chairman of the Himalayan Trust, UK. The event was organized to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest.
During the event, Jamling Tenzing Norgay, son of Tenzing Norgay, Peter Hillary, son of Sir Edmund Hillary and Sue Leyden, daughter of Lord Hunt shared the recollections about their fathers and their activities in helping local communitities in the Himalayan region. "Sue Leyden began the lecture series reading out a statement from King Charles III."
Peter and Jamling reflected on their fathers' remarkable international partnership that took humanity to the Earth's highest reaches, informed Sir Graham.
Dignitaries including Stephen Venables, Kenton Cool, Dawa Yangzum Sherpa and Hari Budha Magar will explore the impact 1953 has on their climbs and ambitions, why 1953 was so pioneering, what Everest is like today and how it inspires people to "climb their own Everests".
Meanwhile, Nepal Embassy in London also organised a programme to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first Everest ascent.
Addressing the gathering, the Duke of Gloucester reminisced about the news of the first ascent of Mount Everest in his childhood, which coincided with the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. "Historical Nepal-UK relations is not only based on the Gurkha soldiers but also the quest of the British people for reaching the top of the world and the connection with the Sherpas," he said.
Ambassador Gyan Chandra Acharya, in his speech, reflected on the first successful ascent, its background, significance of mountains and the Himalayan region to the world, livelihood of the people living in the Himalayan region and the impacts of climate change on the Himalaya.
Maya Shivagnanam, Deputy Director, FCDO, reading out the message from the Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Minister of State, recalled the legacy of 1953 expedition led by Col John Hunt and summitted by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, her visit to Nepal recently and highlighted the multifaceted relationship between Nepal and UK. She also stressed on working together to mitigate the impacts of climate change in the Himalayan region.
Families of Tenzing Norgay, Sir Edmund Hillary and Expedition leader Lord Hunt present in the programme were recognized on the occasion. JamlingTenzing, Peter Hillary and Sue Leyden shared the recollections about their fathers' achievement. Hari Budha Magar, the world's first double above-knee amputee to summit Mount Everest, Kenton Cool, the first British to summit Everest for a record number of 17 times, Rebecca Stephens, the first British woman mountaineer and Sir Chris Bonington, British Mountaineer/writer were honoured by HRH the Duke of Gloucester and Ambassador Acharya on the occasion. Budha Magar, Cool and Stephens shared their fascinating stories of summitting Everest in the programme.
