Kathmandu: A group of 30 Chinese nationals who visited the Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS)’s central office on Wednesday noon were seemingly awestruck. What beckoned the visitors who had summitted the highest mountain in the world, Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest), over different periods was the beauty of Nepal’s majestic mountains and exquisite Himalayan heritages showcased in 100 photos at the ongoing exhibition at the RSS.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the climbers, comprising 28 men and 2 women, excitedly jostled to enter the exhibition hall even before RSS Executive Chairperson Dharmendra Jha and staff could officially welcome them. They were eager to view striking images of Nepal’s mountains, alluring mountain cultures and traditions, trekking trails, glacial lakes, flora and fauna, and cultural festivities.
Chairperson Jha formally greeted the northern neighbors at the main entrance, offering each climber a red scarf bearing the RSS logo as a symbol of hospitality and respect. Inside, the visitors noted a photo with a banner bearing the same RSS logo, hoisted atop Sagarmatha on May 23, 2018, by RSS editor Rosha Basnet, who was also present to welcome the group.
The exhibition displayed photographs taken by RSS journalists and photojournalists over different periods. It was inaugurated on May 25 by Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey, titled ‘Mountain Tourism: Our Pride, Our Identity’ in commemoration of Republic Day-2025.
During the visit, the Chinese climbers expressed a strong emotional connection to Sagarmatha, Nepal’s iconic natural heritage on the border between Nepal and China. The photos’ captions in Nepali did not deter the Chinese visitors, who recognized many towering mountains, particularly Sagarmatha, Kanchenjunga, Annapurna, Manaslu, Makalu, and other Himalayan giants.
One climber exclaimed with a thumbs-up as he pointed to a photograph of Sagarmatha featuring the RSS’s banner, and several others gathered around, eager to identify familiar scenes. A particularly heartwarming moment occurred when a climber realized he had scaled Sagarmatha via the same route and year (2018) as journalist Basnet.
RSS Chairperson Jha, in his welcome speech, introduced RSS as the country’s news agency similar to China’s state news agency, Xinhua News Agency. He explained the exhibition’s objective was to promote Nepal’s mountain tourism and its unique identity as home to eight of the world’s ten highest mountains above 8,000 meters.
Throughout their visit, the climbers captured images, recorded the event, and engaged in conversation with fellow Nepali Sagarmatha climbers and RSS journalists. Some appeared nostalgic, reliving their past expeditions through the images of Sagarmatha, also known as the ‘Top of the World.’
One climber expressed a willingness to climb from the southeast ridge (from the Nepal side) and visit the Everest Base Camp in Nepal, health and time permitting. Another climber, who first scaled Sagarmatha in 1988 and 2003, expressed joy at seeing various facades of Sagarmatha captured from different angles.
Another climber voiced the need for sustainable mountain tourism, highlighting the impact of climate change on vulnerable mountains and regions. “Preserve the mountains,” he urged, suggesting people enjoy nature ‘responsibly.’
A visitor, tired from a football match played earlier with other Everest summiteers, felt rejuvenated by the picturesque images, saying, “My fatigue vanished into the thin air!” as he gestured animatedly.
As they departed, the Chinese climbers, all wearing the red scarves they had received, carried memories of the alluring photos and the warm reception from Nepal’s only state-owned news agency.