Monks gathered for an International Peace Festival on Lumbini today. (Photo: Ramesh Shrestha, SATV)

Lumbini, April 5: An International Meditation Day is being celebrated continuously for two days starting today, by peaceful collaboration of Chinese and Nepalese in the serene birth land of Budhha; Lumbini. This is the first Lumbini International peace feastival organised in Nepal.

It is also said to be a part of the promotion of Lumbini, which is the pride of Nepal along with every Buddhist which is even listed in the list of World Heritage Site. Lumbini International Peace Marathon, International Meditation Day and Lumbini Peace Concert are going to be organized to promote Lumbini globally as a destination for world peace and religious cultural tourism. As part of this programme, a meditation camp has been organized this morning.

The event is organized by the Nepal Tourism Board, Chinese Embassy in Nepal, Lumbini Development Fund, Nepal Olympic Committee and Lumbini Province Sports Council. The co-organizers of the event to be held today and tomorrow are Nepal Overseas Chinese Association, Chong Hua Monastery of Lumbini and Lumbini Hotel Association. Foreign Minister Narayankaji Shrestha, who landed on Lumbini yesterday evening has addressed the inauguration today as a Chief guest of the event.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha said, "this festival is not only for peace and happiness, but also helps to further promote the importance of Lumbini, as well as an initiative to further strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges between Nepal and China." Addressing every attendees he also expressed that Buddha, Buddhism, peace and meditation are meaningfully interrelated.

Presenting speech at the program, the Ambassador of China to Nepal, His Excellency Chen Song, expressed that China and Nepal are jointly holding the Lumbini International Meditation Day event, in the hope of integrating the ancient Buddhist wisdom of "compassion, peace, and the harmony of the Middle Way" into modern life, improving human being's mental, physical, spiritual well-being, and enhancing mutual understanding among people of all countries.

In the presence of Nepal Olympic Committee Chairman Jeevan Ram Shrestha, Lumbini Development Fund Member Secretary Sanuraja Shakya, Lumbini University Registrar Tilak Acharya and other dignitaries, Ambassador Chen Song presented a multifaceted view of world peace and relations between the two countries.

The organizers believe that the festival will not only promote Lumbini as a world peace and cultural tourist destination but conveyed that this will also advocate the concepts of “harmony is precious” and “harmony without uniformity” among all mankind.

A hundred monks and more than 400 people will meditate in the sacred garden on the second day of the festival held at Lumbini. A seminar on peace and sports is being organized and a marathon race in four categories will be held tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow's marathon competition is going to be held with the support of Lumbini Buddhist University, Yunnan Mountaineering and Outdoor Sports Association, Provincial Tourism Development Council and Greenroad Organization.

Among the runners participating in the marathon, the first prize of Rs 5 lakh will be given to the male runner, the second prize will be Rs 3 lakh, the third prize will be Rs 2 lakh and the cash prize will be given to the 10th place respectively. Similarly, the first prize of 2 lakhs, the second prize of 1,60,000 and the third prize of 1,20,000 have been kept for women participating in the half marathon.

Apart from this, 15,000, 10,000 and 5,000 prizes have been given to those who participate openly in the walkathon and those who participate from the school level, said Jai prakash Bhattarai, Member Secretary of Lumbini Sports Council. According to him, only 19 lakh 15 thousand rupees have been allocated for the award.

Similarly, games such as archery and wrestling are also being exhibited. On the second day of the festival, a concert would be held at Lumbini Square Theater tomorrow. Singer Ani Choying Drolma, Chinese singer Ulan Tuya and others will perform at the concert.

Some other glimpses of the event :