According to Dr Minendra Rijal, a member of the High Level National Steering Committee (HLNSC) for development of Greater Lumbini, Ban along with UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, will visit Nepal for the international meeting.[break]
Chairman of the government-formed HLNSC and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Rijal and other HLNSC members are currently in New York to garner international support for the development of Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The delegation met Ban in New York on Tuesday to request UN to play a leading role in the development of Lumbini.
"The [UN] secretary-general has agreed to provide political and moral support to the development of Lumbini," Rijal told Republica from New York.
Extending an invitation to the ´multi-stakeholder meeting´ to be held in Lumbini next year, Maoist Chairman Dahal requested the UN secretary-general to play a leading role in support of the initiatives for the development of Greater Lumbini.
“Mr Prachanda [Dahal] informed the secretary-general about the plan of the High Level National Steering Committee to host a multi-stakeholder international meeting in Lumbini itself early next year and subsequent meeting to follow up in New York,” reads a statement issued by Nepal´s permanent mission to the UN.
According to the statement, the secretary general, in response, expressed his pleasure to be the second Asian secretary-general to visit Lumbini.
“The secretary general accepted the kind invitation for the international meeting in Lumbini, Nepal early next year and agreed to play a lead role in support of Nepal´s initiative,” reads the statement.
Dahal told Ban that leaders from various fields -- political, spiritual, and philanthropic -- and the private sector will be invited to the international meeting.
The Maoist chairman further added that the message of peace coming from Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, will have a special meaning for people from around the world as Nepal has just come out of a bloody conflict.
Dahal, in his capacity as the chairman of the HLNSC, expressed his commitment to developing a new master plan covering three districts -- Kapilvastu, Rupandehi and Nawalparasi.
“In that context, he also touched upon the long history of the involvement of UN in promoting development of Lumbini from the first Asian Secretary-General of the UN, U Thant, and appreciated the keen interest and clear support of the current secretary general in the allround development of Greater Lumbini,” reads a statement.
While explaining that Nepal will play its part in revitalizing the International Committee for the Development of Lumbini, he called for the involvement and full cooperation of the UN secretary-general to help galvanize the international community.
During the meeting, Dahal thanked Ban for his keen interest and support for Nepal´s peace process and the positive contribution of UNMIN.
Ban also expressed his appreciation to Dahal and other political parties for the recent steps taken in Nepal and urged them to effectively implement them and move forward to complete the peace process and constitution writing at the earliest.
Related story
Indian army chief and SSB chief visiting Kathmandu
-1200x560-1779450784.webp)
