KATHMANDU, May 6: Tour de Lumbini is organizing a cycle rally using ‘Pedal for Peace’ as its theme. The rally -- scheduled from May 7 to May 10 -- aims to promote domestic and international tourism, and to celebrate peace in the country, Tour de Lumbini says.

Organizing a press conference in Kathmandu on Thursday, Tour de Lumbini said the 4-day rally was being organized with support from Nepal Tourism Board. The rally will promote peace and harmony through the positive power of pedaling, the organizers reiterated at the press conference. Representatives of Tour de Lumbini said it had been organizing cycle rallies for the last five years.

The rally starts from Kathmandu and ends in Lumbini -- the birth place of Gautam Buddha. The event will end on May 11 in Lumbini with lighting of lamps at the spot believed to be the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.

“A total of 108 cyclists will participate in the event. The participants are international and local cyclists and representatives of UNESCO. The rally will start from Swayambhu and then ride to Hetaunda, then to Narayanghat and through Butwal to end in Lumbini. The event has helped attract tourists to Nepal. A huge number of cyclists from the countries like England, Thailand, and Germany, and also cyclists from SAARC countries have expressed their interest to participate in the event. We need support from the government to promote the event in the international stage and to increase the length of the route. We are working to make the event 10 to 14 days long,” the organizers said in a statement handed out at Thursday’s press conference.

 
• tour de lumbini
 
• pedal for peace