PRESS RELEASE
The Embassy organized an event to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest-Sagarmatha at the Embassy on 12 June 2023. While addressing the gathering, His Royal Highness, 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.
H.E. 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. Ms. Maya Shivagnanam, Deputy Director, FCDO, reading out the message from the Rt. Hon. 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. Mr. Jamling Tenzing Norgay, son of Tenzing Norgay, Mr. Peter Hillary, son of Sir Edmund Hillary and Ms. Sue Leyden, daughter of Lord Hunt shared the recollections about their fathers and their activities in helping local community in the Himalayan region. Mr. Hari Budha Magar, the world’s first double above-knee amputee to summit Mount Everest, Mr. Kenton Cool, the first British to summit Everest for a record number of 17 times, Ms. Rebecca Stephens, the first British woman mountaineer and Sir Chris Bonington, British Mountaineer/writer were honoured by HRH the Duke of Gloucester and Ambassador Mr. Acharya on the occasion. Mr. Budha Magar, Mr. Cool and Ms. Stephens shared their fascinating stories of summitting Everest in the programme.
The programme was attended by families of Tenzing Norgay, Sir Edmund Hillary and Lord Hunt, high dignitaries of the UK government, parliamentarians, environment experts, London based Ambassadors and High Commissioners, tourism business entrepreneurs, journalists and the members of the Nepali diaspora.
Embassy of Nepal, London
13 June 2023