KATHMANDU: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, has said there is challenge to save the existence and identity of mountains by lessening climate change impacts.

At a programme organized here on Wednesday to present Everest Tourism Award, 2025, Minister Pandey mentioned, “We have challenge to save mountains at a time when rich countries are in the competition of physical development.”

“The melting of snow does not only affect mountain, hilly and Tarai areas. It also affects the sea and entire earth. So there is a need to save mountains to protect ecological system of the world”, he shared.

The Tourism Minister expressed commitment to moving ahead continuously to save mountains, adding the Ministry was always ready for the same.

He stressed the need of forwarding tourism activities utilizing cultural diversity. Expressing happiness for getting opportunity to honour individuals contributing for the development of tourism sector of the country, Minister Pandey argued that development of tourism sector was possible from the path shown by such personalities.

On the occasion, he honoured various personalities for their contribution in development of tourism sector.