Climbers, Sherpa guides, and members of Nepal’s mountaineering community carried banners and portraits of legendary Everest summiteers, celebrating their achievements on what is now known as International Everest Day.
The event commemorates the historic climb by Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa guide, who together became the first to stand atop the world’s highest peak.
Known as Sagarmatha in Nepal, the peak has gone from mythical to mainstream. What was once a near-impossible ascent is now an overcrowded route, raising concerns about safety and pollution.
Nepal’s minister for culture and tourism led the celebrations, which included a walk through the capital and a gathering at the historic old palace.
