7 January 2020, Kathmandu
Visit Nepal Year 2020 has been inaugurated internationally from Sydney, Australia amid special ceremony by Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai and New South Wales State Parliament’s Speaker Jonathan O’Dea on Tuesday.
In regard to this, opposition leaders and county representatives have wished for the success of the campaign. On the occasion, Minister Bhattarai expressed sorrow over the destruction caused by bush fires in Australia which resulted to the tragic death of millions of animals and two dozen people.
He also state that that Nepal and Nepali people were with the Australia in this hour of grief. Minister Bhattarai also called on the Nepali diplomatic mission and Nepali community there to extend helping hand to the affected.
On the occasion, Nepali community present collected monetary assistance for the support of bush fire survivors and also observed silence and candle lit vigil for some time. A rally, the part of inauguration programme, was held from the Custom House based in Circular Quay to the Opera House.
Over 100 people including Minister Bhattarai, Nepal’s Ambassador for Australia, Mahesh Raj Dahal, consular Deepak Khadka and Chandra Yonjan joined the rally which, upon reaching in front of the Opera House, was requested by the Australian security forces, not to take commercial banners with them.
Following the request, the group reached the famous arts center without banners. Meanwhile, the tourism minster’s private secretariat has criticised media reports about the event. It claimed that news claiming that the programme faced obstruction were far beyond the fact and called upon all not to be misled by such reports.
