Kathmandu: Nepali Congress (NC) General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma has emphasized the urgent need to preserve the aesthetic beauty of mountains and protect the planet from the impacts of climate change. Addressing the closing ceremony of a photo exhibition organized by the Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) on the occasion of Republic Day 2082 BS at the RSS Central Office, Bhadrakali Plaza, Sharma called for cooperative and collective efforts from all sectors to safeguard mountains against environmental changes. He warned that if climate change risks continue to escalate, the mountains depicted in the exhibition could disappear within the next decade.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Sharma, who has previously summited Mt Lobuche, recently aborted his expedition to Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) at Camp III due to adverse weather conditions. He highlighted the unchecked rise in carbon emissions, which is accelerating global warming at an alarming rate, and stressed the need for Nepal to amplify its voice on this issue globally. He also acknowledged the contribution of the RSS and its members in showcasing the importance of mountains to the ecosystem through the exhibition themed “Mountain Tourism: Our Pride, Our Identity”.
Speaking at the exhibition’s closing ceremony, RSS Executive Chairperson Dharmendra Jha noted that the event was organized to raise awareness about the importance of mountains and to urge policymakers toward mountain conservation. Jha shared that policymakers, tourism entrepreneurs, and diplomats from various foreign missions in Nepal observed the displayed photos with keen interest during the month-long exhibition. He added that the event also attracted professors, students, media professionals, and the general public, who provided positive feedback.
Jha expressed confidence that the exhibition would garner attention from responsible authorities at the policy-making level, contributing to the protection and promotion of mountains and mountain heritage while also boosting domestic tourism. The exhibition, featuring 96 photos, was inaugurated on May 25 to commemorate Republic Day-2025. It attracted notable visitors, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chairperson of the National Assembly, Deputy Prime Ministers, former Prime Ministers, ministers, and high-ranking officials of the government of Nepal, alongside representatives and heads of foreign diplomatic missions in Nepal.
Renowned mountaineers, tourism entrepreneurs, students, representatives of stakeholder agencies, and the general public also visited the exhibition held at the RSS central office. The displayed photos, captured by RSS reporters and photojournalists over different periods, showcased compelling images of Nepal’s majestic mountains, alluring mountain cultures and traditions, key tourism destinations, trekking trails, glacial lakes, flora and fauna, and cultural festivities in the mountain regions.
It is noteworthy that the RSS, the country’s only state-owned news agency, has been organizing photo exhibitions on various themes for the past three years to mark Republic Day (on Jestha 15 of every Nepali month).