Lumbini International Peace Festival begins, aims to promote global peace tourism

March 21, Kathmandu: The second Lumbini International Peace Festival and International Meditation Festival began on Friday morning with an inauguration ceremony held at the Mayadevi Temple Garden in Lumbini, Nepal.

The event, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy and various other organizations, began with a meditation session that involved 100 monks and 400 practitioners.

Addressing the ceremony, Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey emphasized Lumbini’s significance and stated that it was not only a centre of faith for Buddhists but also a key hub for global peace tourism. He described Lumbini as a sacred site for peace lovers and said that it could spread messages of peace, unity, harmony, and humanity worldwide.

The festival, supported by entities such as the Lumbini Development Trust, Nepal Olympic Committee, Yunnan Mountaineering and Outdoor Sports Association, KGH Group, Vivo, Deepal, and Buddha Air, aimed to promote Lumbini’s global stature.

Minister Pandey highlighted that the ministry had been working continuously to preserve Lumbini, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and stressed that Nepal needed to establish it as a prime destination for cultural, spiritual, and adventure tourism, which could significantly benefit the country.

During the event, he underscored that Tilaurakot, Devdaha, and Ramgram—sites linked to the birthplace of Lord Buddha—needed to be developed into world peace cities. Vice-Chairman of the Lumbini Development Trust, Dr Lharkyal Lama elaborated that the festival had a vital role in presenting Lumbini as a beacon of Buddhism and peace.

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Chen Song, expressed that he believed the festival would strengthen cultural, sports, and people-to-people exchanges between Nepal and China. The event is set to continue with the Lumbini International Peace Marathon scheduled for Saturday.