BHARATPUR: The 15th Chitwan elephant festival is kicking off today. President Bidya Devi Bhandari is scheduled to inaugurate the festival to be held at Baghmara ground in Sauraha.

The main objective of the festival is to promote internal and external tourism, make public aware about the preservation of elephants and its importance, and seek synergy on wildlife conservation, said Suman Ghimire, Chairperson of Regional Hotel Association Sauraha.

“It is our shared responsibility to protect forests and wildlife as the common resources of the country,” he added.

The programme includes elephant picnic, elephant race, elephant football, elephant beauty contest, elephant polo and several cultural programmes involving national and local artists among others.

Likewise, a special programme 'Literature and Tourism' is also to be organised as part of the festival.