Today marks the 72nd International Everest Day, commemorating the first successful ascent of the world's highest peak, Mount Everest. The day is being celebrated grandly across Nepal through various programs and events.

On May 29, 1953, Nepali climber Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary stepped foot on the summit of Mount Everest for the first time, showcasing an extraordinary display of human courage and capability. In remembrance of this historic feat, May 29 has since been observed as International Everest Day each year.

This year, the government has also planned to celebrate Everest Day with grandeur by organizing several programs. A main organizing committee has been formed under the leadership of the Minister for Tourism to oversee the celebration.

Tourism Minister Pandey stated that coordination and cooperation have been carried out with all concerned bodies to ensure the grand success of the event. He mentioned that, as Republic Day and the budget speech in Parliament also fall on the same day (Jestha 15 in the Nepali calendar), the programs have been scheduled accordingly to avoid any clashes.

The day will begin with a morning rally (Prabhat Pheri), and following the Republic Day and the budget speech in the afternoon, a special program titled “Everest Summiters' Summit” will be organized. The morning rally will start from the Employees’ Provident Fund office in Thamel with various cultural displays and culminate in a formal ceremony at Basantapur. The “Everest Summiters’ Summit” will take place later in the day.

The program will be graced by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli as the chief guest, where record-holding climbers will share their experiences. Discussions will also be held on promoting adventure tourism and mitigating the impacts of climate change on the Himalayas.

On the occasion, several record-setting climbers will be honored. The Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Nepal Tourism Board, Department of Tourism, Nepal Mountaineering Association, and private sector tourism stakeholders, organizes this event every year.

President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, Ang Chhiring Sherpa, stated that International Everest Day is observed in Nepal every year through various programs in remembrance of the first Everest climbers. He informed that members of the Hillary family and climbers from various countries also come to Nepal to celebrate International Everest Day.

“The Lukla Airport has been named Tenzing-Hillary Airport. As Everest is a global heritage and treasure, it is essential for everyone to take the threat of climate change seriously,” said President Sherpa. “With rising global temperatures, snow on the mountains has started to melt, and places like Kala Patthar have become more visible. It is now time to reflect on the conservation of Everest and the Himalayas.”

According to one statistic, Nepal has 1,792 mountains that are over 5,800 meters in height. Among them, eight peaks are above 8,000 meters. Out of all these mountains, only 461 have been opened for climbing.

The Department of Tourism has stated that, like in previous years, record-holding climbers and mountain tourism entrepreneurs will be honored on this occasion.

It is believed that the celebration of this day will inspire future generations to follow their dreams of mountaineering while also encouraging the respect and preservation of mountain landscapes for the future.