Nepal Celebrates 71st International Sagarmatha (Everest) Day 2024, commemorating man’s first ascent of Mt. Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in May 29, 1953. The Nepal Mountaineering Association organised the programs in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and the other organizations associated with tourism. A morning rally was organized in Kathmandu at the initiation of the Nepal Mountaineering Association at Thamel. Participants displayed banners and placards carrying slogans including the major one for this year- ‘World’s Highest Peak-Sagarmath, Identity and Pride of Nepal’.

Lhakpa Sonam Sherpa, a climber and tourism entrepreneur, has been awarded the Sagarmatha International Award 2024. Khimlal Gautam was honored with the Baburam Acharya Sagarmatha Award 2024 for contributing to the accurate measurement of Mt Everest. In Tenzing-Jillary Everest Marathon, winners in male and female categories were awarded.

On the occasion, Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has urged one and all to make more efforts to keep mountains free from pollution and support the government’s ‘Save Mountain, Save Humanity’ campaign. The Prime Minister expressed his hope that the Sagarmatha Day will inspire all to promote tourist arrivals in Nepal, preserve the mountains, address the issues of garbage disposal in the mountains, take measures to mitigate the impact of climate change there and launch further programmes for climate change adaptation. He also said the government is working on related plans, policies, and programmes to ensure the safety of mountain climbers and promote their dignity as its prime concern.

According to the statistics of the Tourism Department of Nepal , about 8,000 people have climbed Mt Everest so far. Among the 14 highest mountains in the world, eight of them are in Nepal, including Everest, the highest peak in the world. In year 2021, the new height of Everest was measured as 8,848.86 meters.

-Sweta Singh