Celebrates Nine International Mt. Everest Day

Nepal Government celebrates Nine International Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) Day 2016. Every year, Nepal celebrates May 29 as the International Mt Everest Day marking the first successful ascent of the world’s highest peak by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in 1953.


Earlier, a morning procession was organized from Thamel to Bhrikuti Mandap where ministers, climbers, tourism entrepreneurs and government officials among others were also present.


On the occasion, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli honored members of the 9 summit rope-fixing team including Gyalzen Sherpa, Gyalzen Dorjee Sherpa, Ang Pemba Sherpa, Nima Tshering Sherpa, Pasang Tenzing Sherpa, Mingma Sherpa, Mingma Chhiri Sherpa, Pasang Dorjee Sherpa and Lhakpa Tshering Sherpa with the cash prize of Rs 50,000 for each. Prime Minister Oli also congratulated the Mt Everest summiteers expressing his commitment to support the country’s tourism sector which was hit hard by multiple disasters in the last two years. It was worthwhile to mention about the contribution of nine summit rope-fixing team of Sherpa climbers, who fixed the rope from the South Col (8000 m) to the summit of Mt Everest (8848 m), becoming the first to reach the summit point in the season on May 11.


Everest climbers, rope-fixing team coordinators, Expedition Operator Association of Nepal and Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee were also honored for their contribution in making the season’s climbing a success.


The Sherpas performed the job of rope fixation putting their lives in jeopardy and their achievement was reflected in the successful ascent of Mt Everest by more than 400 climbers in the spring season, according to Ang Tshering Sherpa, President of Nepal Mountaineering Association.


A dispute on the Mt Everest in 2013, an avalanche in 2014 – which killed 16 Nepali Everest climbers – and the 2015 earthquake, had put Nepal’s mountain tourism in very critical condition. But, this year, more that 400 national and foreign summiteers successfully climbed the world’s highest peak.


The Mt Everest Day celebration has been a significant occasion for the promotion of Nepal’s mountain tourism after the devastating earthquake and the economic blockade, organizers of the event said.


By Asian Hiking Team