May 2014

Nepal Mountaineering Association

Issue-96

Announcement of Donation & Establishing New fund- 5 May
Nepal Mountaineering Association and Seven Summits Actions for Sustainable Society, Japan organized a joint press conference for the announcement of donation and establishment of new funds for the families of the deceased and missing climbers in the avalanche on Everest on April 18, 2014. The conference was chaired by Ang Tshering Sherpa, President, Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA). Santa Bir Lama, the First Vice President of NMA welcomed the participants to the conference.


Ken Noguchi handing over his commitment letter to NMA President

Ken Noguchi, president, Seven Summits Action for Sustainable Society(SSASS) was also present to announce the commitment for the donation of US$ 100,000 ( one hundred thousand US dollar) to support the education of the children who lost their parents in the Everest avalanche of April 18, 2014.

Madhu Sudan Burlakoti, Joint Secretary and Chief of Tourism Industry Division, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation speaking on the occasion said that the April 18 tragedy has shocked us all. He termed the Sagarmatha incident as natural but we have to be alert and find ways to try be safe beforehand. He said that Ken Noguchi and other mountaineers who have returned from their expeditions are the best experts and they can identify the risks and the safety measures to be taken. The information can help the government take the necessary steps to make mountaineering safer and more reliable . He also informed that the government had entrusted NMA with the task of assisting the families of the deceased climbers and make arrangements for the education of their children. He also assured that the government would be ever ready to assist in this direction. On behalf of the government, he thanked Ken Noguchi for his financial assistance for the education of the children of the climbers who died. Yankila Sherpa, chief guest and Chief Advisor, NMA, said that the accident on Sagarmatha was heart-rending though it was natural, but on the whole Nepal's tourism was safe. She said that the financial assistance and insurance amount must be made available to the families of the deceased climbers as soon as possible and conveniently. She also urged for a long-term strategy to deal in case of such incidents. She also appealed to the national and international media for positive coverage of the incident.

Ken Noguchi, Ken Noguchi: President, Seven Summits Action for Sustainable Society (SSASS), said that the in response to the “unprecedented tragedy, US0,000 was being donated to the Nepal Mountaineering Association so that it can be utilized for the educational expenses of the children of the climbers who died in Everest. He also wanted the compensation system for the surviving family members of Sherpas who have suffered tragedies while climbing the Himalayas. In 2001, Ken Noguchi had founded the Sherpa Fund to support surviving children of Sherpas who had encountered accidents or tragedy while mountaineering in the Himalayas, in the form of educational support for tuition and boarding costs.

In the vote of thanks by President Ang Tshering Sherpa, he thanked those present including the family members of the climbers who died or are missing in the Sagarmatha avalanche on April 18, 2014. He also thanked Ken Noguchi for his initiation and interest to support the families of the deceased climbers and the generous donation of US0,000 to support the education of the children of the deceased climbers.

36 th Basic Mountaineering Course 2014
NMA's regular program 36th Basic Mountaineering Course 2014 will start from 12 June 2014. The training will be given to 72 candidates in two groups ( A & B) in Kathmandu and Manang.
The application forms for Group A can be received from the secretariat and it should be returned before 10 June 2014. For Group B, the forms will be distributed from 8 June and it will have to be returned before 27 June 2014.

104 more peaks opened- 21 May
Ministry of culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation released a press statement on 21 May, which mentioned that it has decided to exclude 16 mountains from the list of total opened mountain peaks i.e. 326 in Nepal and reduces the number to 310. The government also decided to open 104 more new peaks for mountaineering activities and all mountains less than height of 5800 will be promoted as trekking peaks.

UAAA Council Meeting 2014
NMA President led the delegation team of NMA to participate in Council Meeting of Union of Asian Alpine Association (UAAA)  held in Hong Kong in 30 May and 1 June 2014. Secretary Rajendra Man Shrestha and Treasurer Tikam Ram Gurung accompanied him for the meeting. The meeting was organized by China Hong Kong Mountaineering and Climbing Union(CHKMCU).

7th International Sagarmatha (Everest ) Day
Candle Walk Procession- 28 May 2014
On the occasion of 7th International Sagarmatha (Everest ) Day, a candle walk procession was organized from Karmachari Sanchaya Kosh, Thamel at 7:00 p m to  Nepal Tourism Board. The program was organized in the memory of Everest summiteers died in the avalanche that happened on 18 April 2014.

Procession and official program - 29 May
Joint Tourism Coordination Committee (JTCC) organized a candle walk in the memory of 16 Everest summiteers died in the avalanche of 18 April on Everest. Trekking companies, Everest summiteers, representatives of the travel related organizations participated in the procession, which started from Karmachari Sanchaya Kosh, Thamel at 7:00 p m and completed at Nepal Tourism Board.

On 29 May, the morning procession of Everest climbers, trekking companies, representatives of travel related organizations etc started from Karmachari Sanchaya Kosh, Thamel at 7: 00 am and ended at  Nepal Tourism Board. The official program was organized at NTB and Kancha Sherpa, the only living member of the first successful Everest expedition- 1953 was the chief guest of the program.  Different cultural programs of the people living around the Himalayas region were also performed in the program.

NMA flag handed over
On the occasion of 7th International Sagarmatha Day, NMA President handed over its flag and a cheque of 7 Lac as financial assistance to the members of Seven Summits Women Team. They are leaving Nepal on 2 Jun to ascend Mt. Denali after the successful ascent of Everest, Kosciuszko, Mt Elbrus, Mt Kilimanjaro and Aconagua.

Shailee Basnet, Poojan Acharya, Maya Gurung, Chunu Shrestha, Pema Diki Sherpa, Asha Kumari Singh and Nima Doma Sherpa are the members of Seven Summits Women Team.

Announcement of financial assistance
NMA also announced the financial assistance of  6 lac for the ‘First Nepali Women Expedition to K2 for Climate Change’. Maya Sherpa of Okhaldhunga, Pasang Lhamu Sherp a of Solukhumbu and Dawa Yangzum Sherpa of Dolakha are set to climb Mt K2, the toughest mountain to climb on the earth after Kangchenjunga, in a world record bid.

Photo gallery>>>

100 Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa- 29 May
NMA IInd Vice President Deebas Bikram Shah participated in 100th Birth Anniversary Celebration of Late Tenzing Norgay Sherpa on 29 May organized by Himalayan Mountaineering Institute at Late Tenzing Norgay’s Memorial at Institute Premises. He was accompanied by another board member Lakpa Sherpa, who is also Everest climber.