Local Skills and Heritage Exhibition Held in Butwal

Butwal. On the occasion of World Heritage Day, the Local Skills, Arts, and Products Exhibition-2083 has been organized in Butwal. The event is being held under the slogan, 'Knowledge of our generation, pride of our nation—preserving local skills and arts is our mission.'

The exhibition is being held at the old film hall premises in Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City-6, in collaboration with Janautthan Community Microfinance Financial Institution Limited, the Local Craft and Heritage Foundation Nepal, and Khasauli Bazaar.

The exhibition aims to preserve, promote, and market local skills, arts, and products. Inaugurating the program, Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City Mayor Khelraj Pandey emphasized the need to integrate local skills with education. He stated that the municipality is committed to the preservation of indigenous arts and culture.

Pandey noted that if the quality of Nepal's indigenous products is maintained through branding and market expansion, there is potential to establish them at an international level. He added that this requires government policy support, private sector investment, cooperative participation, and community engagement.

The exhibition features approximately 50 stalls of handicrafts and local products, including traditional food items. Program coordinator Revant Bahadur Bishwakarma stated that the exhibition is expected to help preserve endangered skills, expand market access for local products, raise awareness about cultural heritage, and support employment and income generation.

Dr. Man Bahadur BK, President of the Local Craft and Heritage Foundation Nepal, mentioned that this is the first time such an exhibition has been organized in Butwal outside of Kathmandu. He noted that while it is a one-day event this time, there are plans to make it a multi-day event in the future.

Khasauli Bazaar Director Samundra Ghimire stated that they have acted as a bridge between local producers and consumers. He informed that the stalls were provided free of charge and noted that it is difficult to estimate the total turnover as transactions are conducted individually. Producers from Butwal and surrounding areas have displayed their goods for sale at the fair.