KATHMANDU: A march has been organized from Swoyambhu to Basantapur today on the occasion of World Heritage Day.

The march that set out from local Bhuinkhel concluded upon reaching Basantapur via the heritage route with the participation of the Department of Archaeology, the Swoyambhu Management and Conservation Mahasamiti and various cultural organizations.

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey inaugurated the march. On the occasion, Minister Pandey said that the ancient heritages and items of archaeological importance would help in the study and research of the country’s historicity and civilization. He asserted that these heritages should be preserved and promoted.

The distance between the Swoyambhunath area where the march started and the Hanumandhoka Durbar Area is about three kilometers.

Within this distance, there are old temples, ponds, wells and cultural sites and heritages. During the visit, the participants spread the message related to heritage conservation.

The Swoyambhu Management and Conservation Mahasamiti also carried out a cleaning of the Swoyambhunath Chaitya and its surrounding areas in the context of World Heritage Day.

Mahasamiti Secretary Chandra Ratna Buddhacharya shared that the Mahasamiti has been helping in the conservation of Swoyambhu and preservation of local traditional culture and festivals.