New Zealand Parliament for the first time hosted Everest Day celebrations at its premises organised by Nepal Society of New Zealand.
The event was received positively by the Nepalese community and attended by parliamentarians and representatives of other ethnic communities.
The "Successful completion of this event [Everest Day] in Parliament premises takes Nepal and New Zealand relationship at another level and this day will be marked in history," president of the biggest Nepali organisation in the country, Dinesh Khadka from New Zealand Nepal Society said.
"66 years ago Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa climbed the highest peak of World Mt Everest which makes both of them popular all around the globe and not only that it also makes the relationship of Nepal and New Zealand more closer," Mr Khadka added.
To make the event successful, the wife of Hillary, Lady June Hillary along with Ethnic Minister Jenny Salesa, Duncan Webb, Parliamentary Undersecretary for Ethnic Communities Michael wood, MP Priyanka Radhakrishnan, MP Melissa Lee, MP Simeon Brown participated in the function.
"Nepal is the country of Lord Gautam Buddha, the country of brave Gorkha soldier as well as the country of the highest peak in the word so Nepali people are lucky enough to born in such a peaceful and beautiful land," Minister for Ethnic Communities Jenny Salesa said.
This Everest Day event is so successful and overwhelming that I promise to continue this event in coming years too in the parliament and bring more community members engaged in its activities," Dr Ramil Adhikari, president of The Nepalese Society of Wellington,
Members of the Nepalese community performed different cultural and folk dance in the event, and Damodar Neupane emceed the program.