Sagarmatha Day Celebrated in San Francisco

Kathmandu. Sagarmatha Day has been celebrated at the Consulate General of Nepal in San Francisco, USA on Saturday with the theme 'Sagarmatha, the World's Highest Peak: Nepal's Identity and Pride'.

In the program, which was inaugurated with a video message from Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal, Consul General Laxman Khanal there discussed the importance of Sagarmatha Day and provided information about Nepal's natural, cultural, and historical heritage.

According to the Consulate General, he urged the program participants to choose Nepal as their next travel destination.

Consul General Khanal mentioned that a government with a strong mandate was formed in Nepal in March 2026 with good governance and economic prosperity as the main goals, and informed that the government is moving forward with investment-friendly policy reforms and incentive programs.

He also urged businessmen to study the investment possibilities in infrastructure, tourism, service sectors, and information technology (IT) industries.

John Y. Choi, Regional Director of the U.S. Department of State's Foreign Missions Office in San Francisco, congratulated Nepal and the Nepali community on Sagarmatha Day, celebrated in memory of the first successful ascent of Sagarmatha, and stated that Nepal-U.S. relations have been strengthening at all levels in recent years.

He said that the visits of high-level U.S. officials to Nepal and the increasing dialogue and cooperation between the two countries have further improved bilateral relations.

Evan Ridley, Advisor on Foreign Affairs to the Lieutenant Governor of California, discussed the growing relations and partnership between the United States and Nepal, stating that the people-to-people relations between California, a center of opportunity and innovation, and Nepal, the gateway to the Himalayas, are becoming stronger.

He emphasized the need to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries by expanding cooperation in areas such as trade, tourism, education, and environmental conservation.

Eduardo Martinez, Mayor of Richmond city, expressed his happiness in celebrating Sagarmatha Day, which is an important opportunity for Nepal and the world, and expressed his high respect for the Nepali community residing in significant numbers in Richmond. He said that the contribution of the Nepali community has played an important role in the social structure and economic development of the city.

According to a press release issued by the Consulate General, Dileep Bhattarai, an elected 'Council' member of Hercules City, discussed the historical significance of the first successful ascent of Sagarmatha by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary 73 years ago, stating that the achievement continues to inspire humanity to reach greater heights and move forward.

Nima Sherpa, a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, presented the findings of her research on the impacts of climate change in the Sagarmatha region.

On that occasion, four Sagarmatha climbers residing in the San Francisco Bay Area were honored with certificates of appreciation. Lakpa Norbu Sherpa, who has climbed Sagarmatha five times, shared his climbing experience and discussed the impacts of climate change observed in the high Himalayan region.

Similarly, Megha Sharma shared her experience of her 'memorable Everest Base Camp journey' and urged the participants to visit Nepal.

Dr. Faith Boucher, Professor at the University of California, Davis, and former Peace Corps volunteer, shared her experiences with Nepal and the Nepali people.

The program was attended by more than 70 people, including various government officials, members of the San Francisco Consular Corps, well-wishers of Nepal, representatives of various organizations, professors and academics from the University of California, Davis, University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, and the University of San Francisco, Nepali entrepreneurs and researchers from the Bay Area, and representatives of Nepali community organizations in the Bay Area and Sacramento.

The Consulate General expressed its belief that this program will contribute to further strengthening Nepal-U.S. relations, tourism promotion, investment attraction, and cultural exchange by highlighting the international significance of Nepal's national pride, Sagarmatha.